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STANDARD 

HISTORICAL SCHOOL SERIES 

BY S. G. GOODRICH. 



1. GOODRICH'S PICTORIAL HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES 

AND OTHER PORTIONS OF AMERICA. 

2. GOODRICH'S PICTORIAL HISTORY OF ENGLAND. 

3. GOODRICH'S PICTORIAL HISTORY OF FRANCE. 

4. GOODRICH'S PICTORIAL HISTORY OF GREECE, ANCIENT 

AND MODERN. 

5. GOODRICH'S PICTORIAL HISTORY OF ROME AND MODERN 

ITALY. 

6. GOODRICH.— PARLEY'S COMMON SCHOOL HISTORY— A BnrEP 

Compend op Universal History. 

7. GOODRICH'S FIRST HISTORY— An- Introduction to Parley's Com- 

mon School History. 




PHILADELPHIA 
PUBLISHED BY E. H. BUTL 

1854. 













Entered according to the Act of Congress, in the year 1845, by 

S. G. GOODRICH, 

in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of Massachusetts. 



Entered according to the Act of Congress, in the year 1854, by 
S. G. GOODRICH, 
in the Clerk's Office of the District Court for the Southern District of New Yo! 



T H« UBRARTI 
©'CONGRESS 

WASHINGTON 









\b 



CONTENTS. 



Chapter I. — Introduction. — Importance of the History of England.- Present state ° 

— of the British Empire y 

II. — Earliest glimpses of British history. — Caesar, &c, ........! 13 

III. — Invasion of Britain by the Romans, .15 

IV. — Caractacus. — The Druids. — London destroyed. — Boadicea defeated, '. 17 
V. — Agncola —The Scots and Picts. — The Roman wall. — Christianity 

introduced, 19 

VI. The Romans abandon Britain. — Sufferings of the Britons 21 

VII. — Account of the Saxons 22 

VIII. — The Language and Religion of the Anglo-Saxons. —Names of the' day's ' 

of the week. — Introduction of Christianity, 24 

IX. The Anglo-Saxons. —Their Historians. — Condition of the people, . .25 

X. — Laws of the Anglo-Saxons. — Modes of (rial. —Tiie Ordeal 26 

XI. —The kingdom of England established. —The Danes. —Saxon race of 

kings. — Alfred the Great, 28 

XII. More about Alfred, 30 

XIII. — About the architecture of the Anglo-Saxons .'.".'. 33 

XIV. — Of the learning of the Anglo-Saxons. — The Clergy, 34 

XV. — Alfred encourages the arts. — About the English navy. — Death of 

Alfred. — Reign of Edward the Elder, . ". 35 

XVI. — Adventures of AulafF. — The Long Battle. — Athelstan. —His death. . 37 

XVII. — Edmund murdered. — Edred. — St. Dunstan, . . 33 

XVIII. — The Monks and the Secular Clergy .40 

XIX. — Edgar the Peaceable. —Edward the Martyr, ! ! 41 

XX. — Elhelred II. — Penances. —Indulgences. — The Butter Tower, . . . . 42 

XXI. — Troubles with the Danes. — Peace made with them 44 

XXII. — Massacre of the Danes in England, kc. — Edmund Ironside. — Canute 

conquers England. 45 

XXIII. — Dress and amusements of the Anglo-Saxons, 46 

XXIV. — Canute the Great. — His rebuke of his courtiers 43 

XXV. — Reigns of Harold Harefoot. and of Hard icanute, . . 50 

XXVI. —Edward the Confessor. — Harold. — About the Conquest 51 

XXVII. —William I, the Conqueror. —The Saxon nobles degraded, 54 

XXVIII. — Game laws. — Rebellion of Robert. —Domes-day Book. — Death of 

William I 56 

XXIX. — England after the Norman conquest. — The English language, . . . . 58 

XXX. — The Feudal System. — A Norman castle, . 59 

XXXI —William Rufus. — The sons of William the Conqueror, 61 

XXXII. — The Crusades . 62 

XXXIII. — William obtains large territories by mortgage. — His death, 64 

XXXIV. — Henry I. usurps the crown. — Dispute between the Pope and the 

King, &c, . . 66 

XXXV. — Henry. — Edgar Atheling. — Death of Robert 63 

XXXVI. — Melancholy condition of the king, &c, . . 69 

XXXVII. — Battle of Brenneville. — Ancient armor, 70 

XXXVIII. — Death of Prince William, and many young nobles, 71 

XXXIX. —Matilda marries Geoffry Plantagenet. — Death of Henry I. —Stephen 

usurps the crown, 73 

XL. — Proceedings of Stephen, &c, 74 

XLI. — Matilda acknowledged as queen, &c. — Peace restored. — Death of 

Stephen, 76 

XLII. —Employment of the ladies in the time of Henry II., 78 

XLIII. — Pages, Esquires, and Knights, ?9 

XLI V. —Surnames. — Education of Henry II., &x. — About the only English- 
man that ever was made pope, " ... 81 

XL V.— More about Henry II. — Queen Eleanor, 83 

XLVI. — Thomas A Becket. — How he lost his rich cloak, 84 

1* 



71 CONTENTS. 

Page 

XLVTL — Henry and the c\ergy. — Death of Becket, 85 

XLVIII. — Becket canonized by the Pope, &c 8a 

XLIX. — Earl Strongb'ow goes over to Ireland to assist Dermot Macmorrogh. — 

The English conquer Ireland, 89 

L. — The sons of Henry rebel, • • • 91 

LI. —Penance of Henry II. —Fresh rebellions of his sons. —Death of Hen- 
ry II., ..... 92 

LIL— Of Richard the Lion-hearted. 94 

LIII. — Exploits of Richard in Palestine 96 

LIV. — Philip returns to Europe. —More of Richard's exploits, 97 

LV. — Shipwreck of Richard, &c, ^ 99 

LVI. — Interdict and excommunication. — Richard returns to England, . .101 

LVII. — Death of Richard the Lion-hearted, 103 

LVIII. — John, surnamed Lackland 1''4 

LIX. — John quarrels with the pope. — About the Jews, 106 

LX. — Magna Charta signed. —The French invade England. —Death of 

""jHhn, W8 

LXI. —Henry III. — Coats of arms, or Armorial Bearings, Ill 

LXII. — Disturbed state of England. —Of benevolences, 112 

LXIII. — The kins and pope vs. the churchmen, 113 

LXIV. — Simon de Montfort. — The Mad Parliament, 115 

I.XV. — Prince Edward. — Battle of Lewes.— The "Mise" of Lewes, . . . . 116 
LX VI. — A change in the constitution of Parliament. — Prince Edward escapes 

from imprisonment. — The barons subdued, 117 

LXVII. — Prince Edward goes on a crusade. — Death of Henry III. — About 

painting and illuminated manuscripts 119 

LXVIII. — Architecture. — Trade and the merchants of England 121 

LX1X. — State of learning. — Friar Bacon.— Judicial Astrology. — Tiials by 

combat, . 1 122 

LXX.— Edward I. —Tournaments. — Battle of Chalons 124 

LXXI. — More about Edward. — Conquest of Wales. — Massacre of the Welsh 

Bards 125 

LXXII. — The Maid of Norwav. — Edward interferes in the affairs of Scotland, . 128 

LXXTII. — Wallace.— Edward's vow. — Death of Edward, 130 

LXXIV. — Edward II. — Battle of Bannockbum, &c, 131 

LXXV. — Famines. — Agriculture. — Customs of the time, 133 

LXXVI. — Edward II. receives Hugh Spencer into favor. —He is dethroned and . 

cruelly murdered by Isabella and Roger Mortimer 134 

LXXVII. — Edward HI. —War with Scotland, &c. —Peace with Scotland, ... 136 
LXXVI1 1. — Edward III. — He makes war on Scotland. — Claims the crown of 

France, 133 

LXXIX. — Edward III. makes war upon Philip, King of France. — Cannon used, 140 
LXXX. — Battle of Cressy. — Death of the King of "Bohemia. — Siege of Calais. 

— Story of Eustace de St. Pierre 142 

LXXXI.— The Knights of the Garter.— The Charter House School, .144 

LXXXII. — Dress inlhe reign of Edward III., 146 

LXXXIII. — Battle of Poictiers. — King John of France taken prisoner. — Generous 

conduct of the Black Prince, 147 

LXXXIV. — Honorable conduct of John, King of France. — Death of Edward III. 

— — The English language adopted, &c 150 

LXXXV. — Richard II. succeeds to the throne. — Insurrection under Wat Tyler 

and Jack Straw. — The Templars and the temple, 152 

LXXXVI. —The insurrection quelled, 154 

IXXXV1I. — Character of Richard II. — Chaucer and Robert Langland, 156 

LXXXVIII. — Anecdote illustrating the manners of the times 157 

LXXX1X. — The king resigns his power to a regency. — Death of the Duke of 

Gloucester " 159 

XC. — Trial by combat, between the Dukes of Hereford and Norfolk, &c. . . 160 
XCI. — Henry of Lancaster returns to England and compels Richard II. to 

resign the crown. — Death of Richard, 162 

XCIT. — Accounfof John Wickliffe, 163 

XC1II. — Henry IV. keeps the throne. —Owen Glendovver, 165 

XCIV. — Several rebellions against Henry IV., &c, . . . 167 

XCV. — Henry seizes the young prince of Scotland. — Character of James I. 

of Scotland 168 

XCVL — Anecdotes of Prince Henry. — Death of Henry Pv\, 16£ 

XCVII. — Prince Henry and the Lollard. — Dress of the ladies, 171 

XCVIir. — Henry V. — Persecution of the Lollards. — Lord Cobham, 172 

XCIX. — Henry V. invades France, &c 173 

C. — Henrv again invades France, &c. — His death 176 



CONTENTS. Vi: 

Page. 

CI. — Domestic habits of the English in the Fifteenth Century, 178 

C1I. — Domestic habits, continued. — State of learning. — Whiitington, Lord 

Mayor, 179 

CIII. — Joan of Arc, the Maid of Orleans 181 

CIV. — Henry VI., Sec — Murder of the Duke of Gloucester, 184 

CV. — The Duke of York forms a design to claim the crown. — Insurrection 

of Jack Cade, ~ 186 

CVI. — Battle of St. Albans. — The Duke of York claims the crown. — War- 
wick, the king-maker, 188 

CVII. — Continuation of the war between the Two Roses. — Death of the 
Duke of York. — His son proclaimed king by the title of Ed- 
ward IV., 1S9 

CVII1, —Edward IV. —The civil war continues, 192 

CIX. — Marriage of King Edward IV. — Battle of Barnet. — Death of War- 
wick. &c, 195 

CX. — Edward IV. is outwitted by Louis of France, 198 

CXI. — Invention of the art of printing, 200 

CXII. — Richard, Duke of Gloucester, seizes upon the young king, Edward V., 202 

CXIII. — Richard III. usurps the crown, &c, 203 

CXIV. — A plot for placing Henry Tudor on the throne, 207 

CXV. — Battle of Bosworth field. — Death of Richard HI 203 

CXVI. — Amusements. — Christmas. — Dress, 210 

CXVII. — End of the line of Plantagenet, &c. — Rise of the commons, 213 

CXVTII. — Henry VII. —Lambert Sfmnel. — Death of Lord Lovel, 215 

CXIX. — A new impostor. — Adventures of Perkin Warbeck, 217 

CXX. — Conclusion of the story of Perkin Warbeck, &c, 218 

CXXI. — Architecture of Henry VII. 's time. — Discoveries, 220 

CXXII.— Death of Henry VII.— The Star Chamber, 223 

CXXIII. — Henry VIII. — Rise of Wolsey, 224 

CXXIV. — More about Cardinal Wolsev, 227 

CXXV. — Henrv invades France. — Battle of the Spurs. — Battle of Flodden 

Field.— Charles V. visits England, 228 

CXXVI. — Henry VIII. and Anne Boleyn. — Thomas Cranmer. — Disgrace and 

death of Wolsey 230 

CXXVII. — Henry VIII. marries Anne Boleyn. — Sir Thomas More. — Death of 

Anne Boleyn, 233 

CXXVIII. — Thomas Cromwell.— The king's marriages, 236 

CXXIX. — Henry VIII. very zealous against heretics, 237 

CXXX. — The Bible translated into English. —Ignorance of the people, .... 238 
CXXXI. — War between England and Scotland. —Death of Henry VIII., .... 240 

CXXXIL — Anecdotes of Henry VIII., &c, 242 

CXXXIII. — The Duke of Somerset appointed Protector. — Religious matters, . . 244 

CXXXI V. — Edward and Mary, Sec — Dudley, 246 

CXXXV. — Suppression of the religious houses. — Warwick rules the country, . 247 

CXXXVI. — The religious houses. — Fashions of dress, &c, 243 

CXXXVII. — Lady Jane Grey, &c 250 

CXXXVIII. — The manners of Queen Mary's time. — The houses of the nobles. — 

Some particulars of the mode of house-keeping, 253 

CXXXIX. — Manners of the English. — Commerce, 255 

CXL. — Queen Mary, Sec. — Execution of Lady Jane Grey, 257 

CXLI. — Persecution of the Protestants 260 

CXLII. — - War with France. — Battle of Si. Quentin. — The English lose Calais. 

— Death of Mary, 262 

CXLIII. — Elizabeth proclaimed queen. — The Reformed faith restored. — Pros- 
perous stale of the kingdom 263 

CXLIV. — Elizabeth's court. — Roberf Dudley 265 

CXLV. — Elizabeth's costume. — The Queen of Scots, 266 

CXL VI. — Continuation of the story of Mary, 268 

CXLVII. — Continuation of the story of Mary, 269 

CXLVIII. — Elizabeth detains Mary as a prisoner, &c, 271 

CXLIX. — A new plot in favor of Mary is detected. — Mary is put to death, . . 273 

CL. — The Invincible Armada. — Elizabeth and her subjects, 275 

CLI. — Sir Walter Raleigh. — Virginia settled. — The Earl of Esse*, . . . .277 

CLII. — Dress in the time of Elizabeth -....,. .279 

CLIII. — Queen Elizabeth's progresses, <fcc, . 230 

CUV — Death of Lord Burleigh. — Lord Essex and Elizabeth 232 

CLV. — Execution of Essex. — Death of Elizabeth 233 

CLVI. — Character and anecdotes of Elizabeth. — Spenser, ,235 

CLVII. — James I. and his court. — Sir Waller Raleigh introduces tobacco ami 

potatoes, ... 286 



Till CONTENTS. 

Page. 

CLVIII. — Conspiracy to place Arabella Stuart on the throne. — Sir Walter Ra- 
leigh, 238 

OLIX.— The Gunpowder Plot, 290 

CLX. — Prince Henry. — Condition of the people, &c, 293 

CLXI. — Anecdotes of James I. — The Bible translated. — Coaches introduced, 296 
CLXII. — The Earl of Somerset and Duke of Buckingham. — Death of James I., 296 
CLXIII. — Lord Bacon. — Lord Napier. —Sir Edward Coke. — The. Puritans, . 293 

CLXI V, — Charles I. — Murder of the Duke of Buckingham, 300 

CLXV. — Went worth, Earl of Stratford. — The Scotch covenanters, 303 

CLXV1. — Distress of the king. — Death of Strafford, 305 

CLXVII. — Dress of the cavaliers and puritans. — Costume of the ladies, &c, . 306 
CLXVHI. — Hampden. — Pym. — Sir Henry Vane. — Commencement of hostili- 
ties. —Battles of Edge Hill, and of Marston Moor, &c, .... 308 

CLXIX. — Oliver Cromwell, 311 

CLXX. — The battle of Naseby, &c, 313 

CLXXI. — Cromwell discovers the insincerity of the king. — The latter attempts 

to escape, but is detained in the Isle of Wight, 316 

CLXXIT. — Charles is tried for high treason. — His execution, 318 

CLXXIII. — Anecdotes of Charles I., &c. — The sect of Quakers rises, 322 

CLXXIV. — England a Commonwealth, &c, 324 

CLXXV. — Adventures of Charles after the battle of Worcester 326 

CLXXVI. — Success of the English in a war with Holland. — Cromwell makes 

himself ruler, 328 

CLXXVII. — Cromwell made protector. &c, 331 

CLXXVIII. — Richard Cromwell proclaimed protector, <fec — Charles II. proclaimed 

king, 334 

CLXXIX. — Milton. — Andrew Marvell. — Algernon Sydney. — John Harrington, 337 

CLXXX. — Character of Charles II., &c, 339 

CLXXXI. — Great plague in London, followed by a great fire. — Great improve- 
ments in London. — Sir Matthew Hale and Sir Christopher Wren, 341 
CLXXXII. — Charles sacrifices the Earl of Clarendon. — The king a pensioner of 

France, &c, 344 

CLXXXIII. — The terms Whig and Tory. — Death of Ru3sell and Sydney. — Death 

of Charles II., 347 

CLXXXIV. — Poets and philosophers of the time of Charles II., 349 

CLXXXV. — James II. — Maria d'Este. — General Dalziell, &c, 351 

CLXXX VI. — James II. seeks to restore popery. — Cruelties practised by Jeffries 

and Kirk. — Rash conduct of James. — James flies to France, . 353 
CLXXXVII. — The Revolution of 168S. — William and Mary called to the throne, . 356 
CLXXXVIIl. — The Highlanders refuse to acknowledge William and Mary. — Mas- 
sacre of Glencoe. — Death of James II., 358 

CLXXXIX. — Peace of Ryswick. — Death of Mary; of William, 360 

CXC. — Style of living and manners. — Arms and dress of the soldiers, . . . 362 
CXCI. — Queen Anne. — The Duke of Marlborough. — Battle of Blenheim, . 364 
CXCII. — Gibraltar taken from the Spaniards. — Sir Cloudesley Shovel. — Rob- 
inson Crusoe, 366 

CXCIII. — Marlborough's victorious career. — Peace ot Utrecht. — Death of 

Anne. — Union between Scotland and England, 368 

CXCIV. — Great men of Queen Anne's time. — Newton. — Locke. — Clarke. — 

Pope. — Addison.— Swift. — Watts, 370 

CXCV. — George I.— Rebellion in Scotland, 372 

CXCVI. — Of the rising in England. — The South sea scheme. — Death of 

George I., 374 

CXCVII. — George II. —Queen Caroline. — War on the Continent. — Battle of 

Fontenoy. — Anson's voyage round the world 377 

CXCVIII. — The young Pretender lands in Scotland, and marches into England. 

— Is compelled to retreat, 379 

CXCIX. — The Pretender is victorious at Falkirk, but defeated at Culloden. — 

Adventures of Prince Charles Edward 381 

CO. — The style of dress in George II. 's time. — Old style and new style, . 384 
CCI. — The Seven Yeats' War. — General Washington. — Capture of Quebec 

and death of Wolfe. —Death of Georgell. — Sir Robert Walpole, 387 
CC1I. — George III. —Political contests. — John Wilkes. — Passage of the 

Stamp Act, 389 

CCIII. — Death of the Earl of Chatham. — Mobs in London. — British gener- 
osity. — Peace of Versailles 391 

CCIV. — The writers and poets of the reign of George II 391 

CCV. — Attempts to murder the king — The younger Pitt. — Duties of the 

king's ministers, , 397 



CONTENTS. 



IX 



Page. 
CCV1. — The French Revolution breaks out. — War between France and Eng- 
land, • 400 

CCVII. — Gloomy state of affairs in 1797. — The Bank of England suspends pay- 
ment, 402 

CCVIII. — Bonaparte returns to France. — He leads his army over the Alps, and 
defeats the Austrians in Italy. — Expedition against Copenhagen 

under Lord Nelson, 404 

CCIX. — Peace of Amiens. — Hostilities renewed between France and England. 

— Battle of Trafalgar. — Death ol Lord Nelson. — Condition of Eu- 
rope in 1808, 406 

CCX. — Sir Arthur Wellesley sent into Spain. — Death of Sir John Moore. — 

The Walchereu expedition. — The Cabinet. &c, 407 

CCXI. — War with the United Slates. — War in the peninsula, where Lord Wel- 
lington commands the British. — Expedition of Napoleon into 
Russia. — Napoleon sent to Elba. — Returns to France and recovers 

his power there. — Battle of Waterloo. &c, 409 

CCXII. — The national debt. — Hargraves and Arkwright. — Watt and the steam 

engine ' 413 

CCXIII. — Lord Exmouth's expedition to Algiers. — The African slave trade. — 

John Howard 415 

CCXTV. — Death of George III. — The authors who flourished in the latter part of 

his reign, 416 

CCXV. — George IV. —His character and habits, &c, 421 

CCXVT. — The queen returns to England. — The king refuses to acknowledge her 

as queen 424 

CCXVII. — Coronation of George IV. — Death of the queen, 426 

CCXVIIL — The king visits Ireland and Scotland. — A Highlander's dress, .... 428 

CCX1X. — A year of projects. — The coinage of Eugiand, 429 

CCXX. — The coinage of England, continued, 431 

CCXXI. — The Princess Charlotte marries Leopold of Saxe Cobursr. — Her death. 

— Lord Liverpool. — Catholic Emancipation and Reform, 433 

CCXXII. — Reform in the House of Commons. — History of that body, 435 

CCXXIII. — Great change in the habits of George IV. — His death. — Improvement 

in London, &c., 437 

CCXXTV. —William IV. — The Reform Bill. — Great riots. — The cholera, . . . . 43S 
CCXXV — Reform in the House of Commons. — Death of William IV. — Acces- 
sion of Victoria. — Her marriage. — Recent important events. — 
Character of the English, 44) 




Western Europe 




HISTORY OF ENGLAND. 



CHAPTER I. 

Introduction, 




^JW^^y^ 



S a source of useful and interesting knowledge, 
the history of England surpasses that of all 
other countries. A detailed account of the va- 
rious steps by which a nation has risen from 
the savage state to an unexampled pitch of 

wealth, power, and civilization, cannot fail to be alike instructive and 

amusing to the general reader. 

2. But to us the history of England is the history of our father- 
hnd, the history of our ancestors, and of most of the institutions which 
belong to society in the United States. In government, religion, 
manners, customs, feelings, opinions, language, and descent, we are 
wholly or partially English. We cannot, therefore, understand our- 
selves, or our institutions, but by a careful perusal of English history. 

3. To the philosopher, this subject is one of the most profound inter- 
est. When Great Britain first appears in the page of history, it is on 
the outskirts of the known world ; remote from the great centre of 
science and civilization, and inhabited by a people of the most savage 
character. It is a dark and gloomy spot upon the face of the fjlobe. 
its inhabitants presenting an aspect as revolting as that of its cold and 
logffy climate. 



CHAP. I. — I. Why does the historv of Erurland surpass all others in interest hoc' 
Instruction J 2. Why is the history particularly interesting to Americans? 3. Wtij 



12 



INTRODUCTION. 



4. At the present day, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and 
Ireland exhibits the most extraordinary spectacle of national glory 
which the world has ever witnessed. Rome, in her brightest days, 
could not compare with it, in point of wealth, power, and civilization. 

5. To the eye of the traveller, the three kingdoms seem almost 
like a mighty garden, strown over with cities, palaces, villages, and 
country-seats. Here are the finest roads, and the best travelling vehi- 
cles in the world ; railroads and canals cross the country in every 
direction ; arts and manufactures are carried to the highest degree of 
perfection ; and commerce brings hither the luxuries of every clime. 

6. London, the metropolis of Great Britain, serves to indicate the 
character of the nation. It has 8,000,000 of people, and surpasses all 
other cities in wealth and population. The government of England 
exercises a commanding influence, not only in the countries of Europe, 
but upon the fortunes of the world. Within our own day, China, 
which has more than one quarter of the inhabitants of the globe, has 
been compelled to bow to the will of this Island Empire. 

7. The colonies of Great Britain extend over the whole globe, and 
contain a population of one hundred and fifty millions. In allusion to 
the immense extent and power of the British empire, it has been 
spoken of by a celebrated orator, as a kingdom that " has dotted the 
surface of the globe with her possessions and military posts, whose 
morning drum-beat, following the sun, and keeping company with the 
hours, circles the earth daily with one continuous and unbroken strain 
of the martial airs of England." It is the history of this great people, 
which we are now about to consider. 

is this history interesting to the philosopher? 4. What of the United Kingdom of 
Great Britain and Ireland at the present day ? 5. What do the three kingdoms present 
to the eye of the traveller? What of trade, &c. ? 6. What of London? Population 
of Great Britain? The government? China? 7. The colonies of Great Britain? 
What has a celebrated orator said? 




London. 



EARLY BRITISH HISTORY. 



13 



CHAPTER II. 

Earliest Glimpses of British History. — CcBsar. — Manners and 
Customs of the first Inhabitants of Britain. 







1. We must now turn from this brief survey of the present condi- 
tion of the British Empire, and go back to the earliest times of which 
history gives us any account. 

2. Several hundred years before the Christian era, it appears that 
the Phoenicians visited England. Their chief object was to obtain tin, 
which was procured from the mines of Cornwall. Hence the Caster- 
ides, or Tin Isles, was the ancient designation of the British islands. 
Settlements are supposed to have been made by the Phoenicians in 
Ireland, and it is conjectured that considerable trade was carried on 
with the people there. 

3. The original inhabitants of England, Ireland, and Scotland, seem 
to have been of the same Celtic stock which first peopled France and 
Spam, though they were divided into numerous tribes. The Roman 
writers mention the names of more than forty in England. 

4. Some of these were more savage than others. A few among 
the southern tribes practised agriculture in a rude fashion, and wore 
artificial cloths for dress. They had also war-chariots in great num- 
bers, and were acquainted with some of the first arts of civilized 

II. — 1. What of the Phoenicians 1 2. What name did they give the British Isles ? 
3. What of the original inhabitants of England, Ireland, and Scotland? 4. Manners 



14 MANNERS AND CUSTOMS OF THE EARLY BRITONS. 

life. To the north, the people were mere savages — using the an 
dressed hides of cattle for clothing, and tattooing their skins for 
Ornament. 

5. The women, like those of our present savages, were practised 
to basket-making, the material being the twigs of willows. They 
also sewed together the skins of animals for dress ; their thread being 
made of leather or vegetable fibres, and their needles of pieces of 
bone. 

6. Such was the condition of the people, when Julius Caesar, 
having completed the subjugation of Gaul, now called France, began 
to think of adding the island of Britain to his conquests. The white 
chalk cliffs of Dover, from which Britain had also the rtame of Albion, 
could be seen from the coast of Gaul, and as Caesar's ambition knew 
no bounds, he doubtless thought that this strange country invited him 
to its conquest. 

7. Having made up his mind to undertake an expedition against it, 
he assembled the merchants who had traded to Britain for hides and 
tin, and made inquiry respecting the manners, customs, and power of 
the people of that island, and such other matters as would be interest- 
ing to him in his present situation. 

8. The precise answer which the merchants gave to these ques- 
tions is not recorded. Neither the people of Gaul nor of Britain could 
write, nor had they any books. Caesar, himself, who was an author, 
as well as a soldier, has told us almost all that we know about them. 
Tt appears, however, that the reply of the merchants of whom he made 
inquiries, was substantially as follows. 

9. " The people of Britain have blue eyes, and very fair complex- 
ions. They are tall and stout, and remarkable for their strength. 
Their bodies are often ornamented with figures of various animals. 
For this purpose they submit to a very painful operation. The figure 
is pricked upon the skin with sharp needles, and then a blue dye, 
made of a plant called woad, is rubbed in. 

10. " Most of them wear no clothing except the skin of an animal 
which is thrown over the shoulders, and fastened at the breast by a 
thorn, or a sharp-pointed stick. Many of them have flocks and herds, 
and live upon meat, or on such fruits and plants as the earth produces 
without cultivation. 

11. " The principal drink is milk, but they have also a fermented 
liquor prepared from honey, and called mead, of which they are very 
fond. They live in winter in holes in the ground, and in summer in 
huts made of stakes stuck in the earth, interwoven with osiers, and 
covered with the boughs of trees. 

12. " They are a very hospitable people. The stranger no sooner 
enters the door than water is presented to him to wash his feet. If 
he uses it, and at the same time gives his arms to the master of the 
house, it is understood that he means to pass the night. This creates 
joy throughout the family. 

of the people 1 5. What of the women ? 6. Why was England called Albion ? What 
of Caesar? 7. What did he do ? 8. To whom are we chiefly indebted for our knowledge 
of the early Britons ? 9. What of their persons ? 10. Clothing? Food? 11. Drink? 



INVASION OF BKITAIN BY THE ROMANS. J$ 

13. " A feast is prepared. The company sit in a circle upon the 
ground, with a little hay, grass, or the skins of animals, spread under 
them. Each person takes the meat set before him in his hands, and 
tears it to pieces with his teeth. If it proves too tough for this, he 
uses the knife which is placed in the centre for the common benefit. 
The meat is served up in dishes made of wood, or earthen ware, or in 
baskets made of osiers. 

14 " The feast is enlivened by the music of the harp. Sometimes 
the great men give feasts, and he is the most popular who gives the 
greatest. These last until all the provisions are consumed, frequently 
for several days. A great prince once gave an entertainment, which 
was kept up without interruption for a whole year, and to which all 
comers were welcome. 

15. " But you Romans are more interested in knowing what are 
their weapons of war, and means of defence. They use a shield, and 
a dagger, and a short spear ; to the lower end of the latter is fastened 
a bell, which they shake to frighten the horses of their enemies. In 
battle they make use of chariots with scythes fastened to the axle- 
trees ; these are drawn by two horses, and driven furiously among 
their enemies, inflicting horrible wounds, whilst the warrior hurls his 
spears." Such was the information Caesar obtained, and it gave a 
true account of the condition of the original inhabitants of Britain. 



CHAPTER III. 
Invasion of Britain by the Romans. 

1. We may suppose that Caesar had little dread of meeting sucn a 
savage people as the Britons would seem to have been, with his well- 
disciplined troops. He probably learnt, too, that the people were 
divided into many small tribes, governed by independent rulers, who 
did not agree very well among themselves. 

2. He embarked his troops at Calais, and in a few hours reached 
the coast of Britain, near Dover. Sailing to the north about eight 
miles, he determined to land near Deal. The Britons had heard of 
his coming, and were assembled to prevent his landing. Their 
painted bodies gave them a most terrific appearance, and their savage 
yells made even the Romans hesitate to attack them. 

3. At last a standard-bearer jumped into the sea, and advanced with 
ihe eagle, which was the Roman standard, towards the enemy, crying 
aloud, " Follow me, soldiers, unless you will betray the Roman eagle 
into the hands of the enemy. I, at least, will discharge my duty to 
Caesar and to my country." 

Houses? 12. Hospitality? 13. The feast? 14. Music? Feasts given by great men ? 
15. Weapons of war? 

Til. — 1. What of the government of Britain? 2. Where did Csesar land? What of 
bis troops? 3. What roused the spirit of the troops? 4. What success had Cfflsar? 



16 



INVASION OF BRITAIN BY THE ROMANS. 



4 Animated bv this speech, and excited by his example, the sol- 
diers plunaed into the sea, and waded to the land, in spite of all the 
Britons could do. Caesar remained about three weeks upon the 
island, during which he gained many battles. He then granted a 
peace to the Britons, upon condition that they should pay tribute to 
the Roman people. 




The Romans in England. 

5. The Britons neglected to perform their engagements; and in tne 
year 54, B. C, Caesar again invaded the island. Landing as before, 
at Deal, he advanced into the country. The Britons had now united 
their forces under one chief named Cassivelaunus. Still they were 
defeated in every battle. 

6. Having brought the people to submission, and compelled them 
to give him many of their chief men as hostages — that is, security 
for the performance of their engagements — Caesar returned to Rome. 

7. As no troops were left in Britain to maintain the authority of 
Rome, the Britons soon threw off all marks of subjection, and the 
tribute remained unpaid. The civil dissensions among the Romans 
themselves, long prevented their taking any measures to compel the 
payment. 

8. An intercourse was however kept up with Rome. Many of the 
chief persons of Britain visited that city, and some of the young men 
were educated there. By this means the Britons began to improve in 
their manners and habits. 

9. The mantle of skins was replaced by one of cloth, and close 
trowsers were introduced. They likewise adopted a vest, a tunic, 
fitting tight to the body and reaching just below the waist. Their 



5. When did Cresar return to Britain? The result? 7. What of the obedience of the 
Britons? 8. What effect had their intercourse with Rome? 9. What change in dress? 
10. What of their money ? 11. Their vessels ? 



INVASION OF BRITAIN BY THE ROMANS. 



17 



shoes were still made of the skin of some animal with the hair out- 
wards. 

10. They also began to coin money. For some ages the trade of 
Britain had been carried on by barter or exchange. When metals 
were first used as money, their value was determined by weight. 
The seller having agreed to accept a certain quantity of gold or silver 
for his goods, the buyer cut off that quantity from the piece of that 
metal in his possession, and having weighed it, delivered it to the 
seller, and received the goods. 

11. The invasion of the Romans had made the Britons acquainted 
with the use of tools ; and stout galleys took the place of the frail 
boats made of osiers and the flexible branches of trees, covered with 
skins of oxen, in which they had hitherto navigated the stormy seas 
around their islands. 



CHAPTER IV. 

Caractacus. — The Druids. — London destroyed. — Boadicea 

defeated. 




Caractacus a prisoner at Rome. 

1. At length, in the year 43 after the birth of Christ, being 97 
years from the first invasion by Caesar, the Romans determined to 
make another attempt to conquer Britain. An army of 50,000 men 
was collected and sent into the island, under the command of Aulus 
Plautius. 

2. The Britons fought bravely for their liberty, but could not 



tV 



1. When wa? the third Roman invasion of Britain? 2. Who commanded tha 

2 



IS 



THE DRUIDS. 



withstand the Roman discipline. Their principal chief, named Carae- 
tacus, and his family, were taken prisoners. They were all sent to 
Rome, and the king-, with his wife and two daughters, were made to 
walk through the streets loaded with chains. 

3. Observing the splendor of the great city, he could not forbear 
exclaiming, " Alas ! how is it possible that people possessed of such 
magnificence at home, should envy me my humble cottage in Britain ?" 

4. Notwithstanding their victories, the Romans made little pro- 
gress in the conquest of the island. Suetonius Paulinus, one of their 
most skilful generals, resolved to adopt a new method. He observed 
that the Druids were the most inveterate enemies of the Romans, and 
that it was their influence which kept up the spirit of the people 




A Druid addressing the people. 

5. The Druids were the priests and law-givers of the Briton:» 
The chiefs commanded the forces in time of war, but all other power 
was in the hands of the Druids. The laws of the Britons were com- 
posed in verse, and the only record of them was in the memory of the 
Druids. The old taught them to the young, and thus the knowledge 
of them was kept up from one generation to another. 

6. So great was the veneration in which they were held, that when 
two hostile armies, with daggers drawn, and spears extended, were 
about to engage in battle, the request of the Druids was sufficient to 
calm their rage, and to induce them to sheath their daggers, and sep- 
arate in peace. 

7. The Druids beiieved that it was displeasing to the Deity to 
worship within walls, or under roofs. They worshipped, therefore, 

Britons? What was his fate? 4. What of the Druids? 5. Who were they? What 
of the law3 of Britain ? 6. What of the influence of the Druids ? 7, 8. Their temples i 



DESTRUCTION OF LONDON. 19 

in the open air in groves of particular trees. The favorite was the 
strong and spreading oak, and in all their ceremonies they were 
crowned with garlands of its leaves. 

8. In the centre of the grove was a space enclosed with one or two 
rows of large stones set upright in the ground. In the centre stood 
the altar upon which sacrifices were offered. When they wished to 
erect a temple of particular magnificence, they laid stones of prodi- 
gious weight on the tops of the upright pillars, thus forming a kind 
of circle in the air, which added much to the grandeur. Some of 
these temples yet remain ; the most perfect is at Stonehenge. 

9. The office of Druid was held by women as well as by men ; the 
former took part in all the public ceremonies ; to them was assigned 
the horrible duty of plunging the knife into the breast of the victim 
prepared for the sacrifice. The victims were not sheep and oxen 
alone, but the prisoners taken in war were considered as a most 
acceptable offering. 

10. The principal residence of the Druids was in the little island 
of Anglesea. Suetonius resolved to make himself master of this 
stronghold. The Britons endeavored to prevent the landing of his 
troops. The women and priests mingled with the soldiers on the 
shore, and running about with burning torches in their hands, and 
tossing their long hair, they terrified the astonished Romans more 
by their shrieks and howlings, than by the appearance of the armed 
forces. 

11. But the Romans soon recovered their spirits, and marching 
boldly forward, speedily put an end to all resistance. Meanwhile the 
Britains took advantage of the absence of Suetonius. Headed by 
Boadicea, a brave queen, they attacked and destroyed the Roman set- 
tlements. There were many of these which were quite flourishing. 
London, which at the first invasion was a forest, had now becomea 
rich and populous city. 

12. Suetonius was obliged to abandon this place to the fury of the 
Britons. I. was entirely destroyed, and more than 70,000 Romans 
and other strangers were put to death. But he soon had a most cruel 
revenge ; with his little army of 10,000 men, he attacked the Britons, 
and left 80,000 of them dead upon the field of battle. Boadicea, in 
despair at this defeat, poisoned herself. 



CHAPTER V. 

Agricola. — The Scots and Picts. — The Roman Wall — Chris- 
tianity introduced. 

1. The Romans now easily established themselves all over Britain, 
and built towns and castles, and were entire masters of the country.' 

?h ^w£i h SiS r . U ii d8 alWa ? S ^ en? .^ hal Part did lhe women ,ake in tlle ceremonies i 
•Wlnf fh ■ . ? P^^'Pally res.de? What did Suetonius do? How did the inhab- 

•Ifeeuce of the Romans? What of London? 12. What revenue did Suetonius have ? 



20 THE SCOTS AND PICTS. 

Julius Agricola, one of their generals, was a very good, as well as a 
brave man. He took great pains to reconcile the Britons to the Ro- 
man government, by introducing their arts and sciences. He encour- 
aged "them to engage in agriculture, which the Romans considered the 
most honorable employment. He also persuaded them to learn the 
Latin language. 

2. He succeeded so well in his endeavors, that the Britons soon 
came to esteem it a privilege to be a part of the Roman empire. In- 
deed, they derived other advantages besides the increase of comfort 
which a knowledge of the Roman arts had brought them. 

3. The northern part of the island, called Caledonia, and now 
Scotland, was inhabited by the Scots and Picts, a wild and warlike 
people, who made incursions into the country of Britain, and after 
destroying everything that came in their way, retired into their bleak 
and barren mountains. 

4. Whenever they ventured to stand a battle in the open field, 
they were defeated by the Romans ; but they seldom did this. They 
generally retired as the Roman troops advanced. As soon as the 
latter were withdrawn from their neighborhood, they again commenced 
their depredations. 

5. Agricola caused a line of forts to be built across Scotland, thus 
shutting out the marauders. The country now remained at peace for 
many years, during which the Romans occupied themselves in making 
roads, many of which are still remaining ; and in building strong and 
massive castles, the ruins of which are still to be seen. 

6. But the forts did not prove a sufficient defence against the Picts 
and Scots, who renewed their incursions upon the more cultivated 
parts of the island. The Emperor Adrian, who visited Britain, caused 
a rampart of earth to be erected. This, however, proved too weak, 
and in the year 207 the Emperor Severus came to Britain, with a 
determination to conquer Caledonia. 

7. The nature of the country, and the bravery of the people, pre- 
vented his succeeding ; so he contented himself with building an 
immense stone wall, twelve feet high, and eight feet thick, quite 
across the country, from the river Tyne to the Solway Frith, many 
parts of which are still to be seen. 

8. For a long time everything went on so quietly, that little men- 
tion is made of the affairs of this island by any historian. The people 
were governed by Roman officers, called legates, or vicars. Among 
the benefits which the conquerors bestowed on Britain, was the intro- 
duction of Christianity, which there -is reason to believe had made 
considerable progress before the end of the first century. 

V. — 1. What of Julius Agricola? What did he do for the Britons? 2. What success 
had he? 3. What was the northern part of the island called? By whom inhabited? 
4. What of the Scots and Picts? 5. What did Agricola do to restrain them ? How did 
the Romans occupy themselves? 6. What new means were tried to keep off the Picts 
and Scots ? What of the Emperor Severus ? 8. What was the state of the island after 
Severus ? What of Christianity ? 



SUFFERINGS OF THE BRITONS. 21 



CHAPTER VI. 

The Romans abandon Britain. — Dreadful Sufferings of tht 

Britons. 

1. About the year 448, the Romans were compelled to withdraw 
their troops from the distant provinces, and, among the rest, from 
Britain, to defend their city against the harbarous tribes of the north 
of Europe. 

2. Before the Romans left the island, they repaired the wall built 
by Severus. But as walls are of very little use without brave and 
well armed men to defend them, the Roman general instructed the 
Britons in the art of making and of using the several kinds of arms. 

3. He then departed with his troops, telling the people that, as they 
would never again have assistance from the Romans, they had better 
learn to take care of themselves. Thus the Romans quitted the island, 
after having had possession of it nearly 500 years, if we reckon from 
the first invasion of Julius Caesar. 

4. Liberty proved anything but a blessing to the Britons. They 
were as helpless as so many children turned loose upon the world. 
They had so long been accustomed to rely upon the Romans for 
defence as well as for government, that they knew not how to set 
about either. 

5. The Picts and the Scots, learning that the island was deserted 
by the Romans, approached the wall of Severus. They found it in 
complete repair, and apparently well defended by armed Britons. 
But these had profited little by the instructions of their late masters, 
and they fled at the first attack. 

6. The savage invaders now ravaged the whole country. They 
were like wolves let into a sheep-fold. The wretched Britons fled 
from their comfortable houses, and sought a refuge in the forests and 
mountains. Afraid to venture forth to cultivate their fields, they suf- 
fered all the horrors of famine. 

7. The land being now .barren, and nothing to be gained, the Picts 
and Scots ceased from their incursions for several years. The Britons 
who had survived the calamities of their country, once more began 
ploughing and sowing, and the next year there was an abundant har- 
vest. No sooner did the rapacious Scots hear of it, than they all 
came rushing into Britain. 

8. The Britons, for a third time, sent to the Romans to come and 
help them, and despatched a letter to iEtius, the governor of Gaul. 
" To Mlius, thrice Consul. The groans of the Britons. The bar- 
barians drive us to the sea. The sea throws us back on the swords 
of the barbarians ; so we have nothing left but the wretched choice 



VI. — 1. Winn did the Romans withdraw from Britain? 2. What did thrv do for trie 
defence of Hie Britons ? 3. How long had they possessed the island ? 4. What of the 
Britons? 5. The Scots and Picts ! 6. How 'did they treat the Britains? ?. What 
caused them lo suspend their incursions? Why did they renew them ? S. What did 

the Britons do ? 



22 



ACCOUNT OF THE SAXONS. 



of being either drowned or butchered." This melancholy letter did 
no good, but they received assistance from another quarter, as you 
shall presently hear 



CHAPTER VII. 

Account of the Saxo?is. 




The Death of Horsa. 

1. Ar tue time f which we are now speaking, the shores ot the 
Baltic Sea w^re inhabited by several tribes of people, nearly in a 
savage state. In ^rance, and in those parts of the continent of 
Europe which had been subject to Rome, they were called by the 
common name of \fen of the North, or Normans ; amongst them- 
selves they were distinguished by various names, such as Saxons, 
Danes, and many others. 

2. These people were the terror of all the more civilized countries. 
Launching their light boats, which were made of osiers, covered with 
skins sewed together, they suffered the wind to blow them to any 
foreign coast. Landing there, they spread devastation over a wide 
extent of country, and then returned home laden with booty. 

3. It so happened that, in the year 448, during one of their pirati- 
cal expeditions, a party of about 300 Saxons, under two leaders 
named Hengist and Horsa, landed in Britain, just at the time when 
the people were suffering from the ravages of the Scots. 

4. Vortigern, a prince of the Britons, advised his countrymen to 



VII. — 1. Who .were I h& Normans ? 2. What is said of their expeditions? 3. When 

did Hengist and Horsa land in Britain? 4. How did the Britons receive them? 5. V\ ha' 



ACCOUNT OF THE SAXONS. 23 

entreat aid from these strangers. This was readily granted. Joining 
their forces, the Britons and Saxons marched against the Scots, who 
were defeated and driven back. 

5. The Saxons seeing the agreeable nature of the country, began 
to covet the possession of it for themselves. Sending for more of 
their countrymen, they fell upon the unfortunate Britons, and defeated 
them in many battles, in one of which Horsa was killed. 

6. Hengist, now become sole commander of the Saxons, took the 
title of King of Kent. New swarms of Saxons kept pouring in, and 
by degrees got possession of almost the whole country south of 
Adrian's wall. Each of the chiefs took possession of what he con- 
quered, and thus at last arose seven different kingdoms, which are 
commonly called the Saxon Heptarchy. 

7. These seven kingdoms were as follows : — 

Kent — containing the present counties of Kent, and part of Sussex. 

South Saxony, or Sussex — the present county of Surrey, and part 
of Sussex. 

West Saxony, or Wessex — included the coast from Sussex to 
Land's End. 

East Saxony, or Essex. 

East Anglia — so called from a district of Germany, whence a por- 
tion of the conquering Saxons came, included Norfolk, Suffolk, and 
Cambridgeshire. 

Mercia — the midland part of the island. 

Northumberland — from Mercia to the borders of Scotland. 

8. The Britons did not yield without a struggle. Sometimes they 
were cheered by a momentary success. The most celebrated of their 
chiefs was the renowned King Arthur, who defeated the Saxons in 
twelve battles. 

9. He used to give great feasts to his brave companions. That 
there might be no disputes about the seats, he had a round table made, 
so that all might be equally honorable. King Arthur and the 
Knights of the Round Table have been great favorites with story- 
tellers. 

10. But all opposition proved vain. A large number of the Britons 
were slaughtered by the Saxons. A portion of them crossed over to 
France, where they settled in the northwestern corner of that country, 
which has since, from them, been called Brittany. The remainder 
took refuge in the mountains of Wales and Cornwall. The present 
inhabitants of these districts are the descendants of the ancient Britons, 
and still retain vestiges of their language. 

did the Saxons do? 6. What was the Heptarchy? 7. Describe the seven kingdoms. 
8,9. What is said of King Arthur? 10. What became of the Britons ? 



24 CUSTOMS OF THE ANGLO-SAXONS 



CHAPTER VIII. 

The Language and Religion of the Anglo- Saxons. — Origin 
of the Names of the Days of the Week. — Curious Circum- 
stance which led to the Introduction of Christianity. 

1. The people who had now possessed themselves of Britain are 
called in history Anglo-Saxons. So completely was the country sub- 
dued, that no customs, truly British or Roman, were now to be seen ; 
the language, which had been either Celtic or Latin, was discontinued, 
and the Saxon or English only was spoken. 

2. The Christian religion also disappeared, for the Saxons were 
pagans, and worshipped a great number of gods. From the chief of 
them the days of the week receive their names. Worshipping the 
Sun, they called the first day Sunday. The second Monday, from 
the Moon. Another god they called Tuisco, or Tiw, and to him they 
assigned the third day. 

3. The next idol which they adored for a god was Woden ; he had 
been a famous and victorious prince among them, and after his death 
they worshipped him as the God of Battle. The fourth day was 
named for him Woden's day, or Wednesday. Not only the Saxons, 
but all the northern nations worshipped Thor, whose name was given 
to the 5th day, Thursday. 

4. Friday received its name from Friga, who was the same with 
the Earth, and was esteemed the mother of all the deities. They had 
another god named Saterne, and to him they consecrated the last day 
of the week, and called it Saterne's day, or Saturday. 

5. But the Anglo-Saxons did not long remain pagans. For the 
early introduction of Christianity they were indebted to a circumstance, 
which furnishes a striking instance that a seeming evil often proves 
the source of the most lasting good . 

6. Slavery, in its worst form, existed among the Anglo-Saxons. 
With most savage nations, prisoners taken in war are either slain or 
made slaves of. But few people are so debased as these conquerors 
of Britain. To gratify some temporary appetite, individuals would 
sell themselves into bondage, and parents were known to sell their 
own children. 

7. It happened one day, when Pope Gregory I. was walking in the 
streets of Rome, that he saw some very beautiful children exposed for 
sale. Asking from whence they came, he was told from England ; 
on which he said they would not be Angli, but Angeli, if they were 
but Christians. Angli is the Latin word for English, and Angeli, 
that for Angels. 

8. Gregory resolved to attempt this change ; so he ordered St. 
Austin or Augustine, with forty other Roman monks, to go into 



VIII. — I. What were the conquerors of Britain called? What is said of the lan- 
guage? 2. What of ihe religion of the Saxons? 3, 4. From whom are the days of the 
week named? 6. What bad custom existed among the Saxons? 7. What attracted 



INTRODUCTION OF CHRISTIANITY. 25 

Britain and preach the Gospel. When these missionaries readied 
France, the people of which had already been converted to Christian- 
ity, they heard such dreadful stories of the savage manners of the 
Anglo-Saxons, that they were afraid to go on, and sent back Augus- 
tine to ask the pope's permission to give up the enterprise. 

9. But Gregory exhorted them to persevere, and advised them to 
take some of the French people, then called Franks, as interpreters, 
for their language was nearly the same as that of the Anglo-Saxons. 
Augustine proceeded and found the danger much less than he had 
imagined. 

10. Ethelbert, King of Kent, was already well disposed towards 
the Christian faith, for his wife Bertha, was a daughter of Caribert, 
one of the kings of France. He therefore received the missionaries 
with kindness. Having heard what they had to say, he told them 
that he could not without consideration abandon the religion of his 
ancestors ; but as they had come so far on a friendly errand, they 
might remain in peace, and use their best endeavors to convert his 
subjects. 

11. The monks at once entered on their labors, which were crowned 
with such success, that in a very short time the king and a great num- 
ber of his subjects were converted. Augustine baptized no fewer than 
ten thousand on Christmas day, 597, and was soon after made Arch- 
bishop of Canterbury. 



CHAPTER IX. 

The Anglo-Saxons. — Their Historians. — The Condition of 

the People. 

1. In the course of time the manners of the Anglo-Saxons lost 
somewhat of their fierceness, and their customs and institutions became 
more civilized. Our knowledge of them is very imperfect. None but 
the clergy made any pretensions to learning. Few of these could do 
more than read their prayer-books and write their names. 

2. There were many even among the high clergy who could not 
lo this. There are deeds still extant, made by lord bishops, which 
are signed by some other persons in their names, because the lord 
bishops could not write their own names. 

3. The earliest historian is Gildas, who lived in the sixth century. 
He was so much admired by his countrymen, as to be called by them 
Gildas the Wise. In the seventh century there was another learned 
monk named Bede, or as he is generally called the Venerable Bede. 
He was never higher in rank than a simple monk, yet, on account of 

the notice of Gregory to Britain ? 8. Whom did he send to convert it ? 9. What did 
the monks do? 10. Who received the missionaries kindly ? 11. What was their suc- 
cess? 

IX. — 1. What, is said of the manners of the Anslo-Saxnna ? What of the stale of 
learning? 3. What h said of Gildas ? 4. What of the government of the Auslo-Saxons? 



26 THE CONDITION OF THE PEOPLE. 

his writings, his fame spread through all Europe. The pope courted 
his company, and his advice in the government of the church. 

4. From these sources we are able to tell you that the Anglo- 
Saxons were governed by a king, whose power was very much con- 
trolled and limited by an assembly of the wise men of the nation, 
called the Wittenagemot. The nobility, the high clergy, and all free- 
men possessing a certain portion of land, were, of right, members of 
this assembly. 

5. The Anglo-Saxons were divided into three orders of men — the 
nobles, the freemen, and the slaves. The nobles formed a very large 
class. They were called Thanes. The freemen were called Ceorls, 
and were principally engaged in husbandry, whence a husbandman 
and a ceorl came to be synonymous terms. 

6. A ceorl could raise himself to the rank of thane, in various 
ways. Success in agriculture might furnish him with the means of 
procuring the requisite quantity of land, with buildings proper to the 
dignity. If a ceorl acquired learning enough and became a priest, he 
was esteemed a thane. Success in trade, or in war, raised him to the 
same rank. Agriculture, commerce, arms, or the church, were con- 
sidered the only professions for a freeman. 

7. The slaves were by far the most numerous class. They were; 
of two kinds, namely, household slaves, who lived in the family, and 
performed the ordinary duties of domestic servants, and rustic slaves, 
who were attached to particular estates, and were transferred with the 
soil. 

8. These last were called villani, or villains, because they dwelt, 
in the villages belonging to their masters, and performed all the servile 
labors required upon the land. The clergy made great efforts to im- 
prove the condition of the slaves, and to secure the rights which their 
influence had procured for them. Notwithstanding this, the greater 
part of the common people remained in abject slavery during the time 
the Saxons governed the country. 



CHAPTER X. 

The Laws of the Anglo-Saxons. — Modes of Trial. — The 

Ordeal, 

1. Under the Romans, Britain was divided into colonies and gov- 
ernments. By the Saxons the country was parcelled out into coun- 
ties, or, as they called them, shires, which means divisions. The 
government of a shire was entrusted to an earl or earldorman, whence 
the present terms earl and alderman. The earl generally exercised 
this government by his deputy, called the shire-reeve, or sheriff — that 
is, guardian of a shire. 

5. How were they divided 1 6. By what means could a man rise in rank. ? 7. What ia 
said of the staves? 8. Who v/ere the villains? Why so called? 

X — . How was Britain divided by the Romans? How by the Saxons? How waa 



LAWS OF THE ANGLO-SAXONS. 27 

2. The criminal Jaws of the Anglo-Saxons were very mild. Every 
crime might be compensated for in money. We consider the life 
and limbs of one man as valuable as those of another. But among 
the Anglo-Saxons the value of a man's life, or of his arm, or his 
leg, depended upon his rank, or his office, and a price was fixed 
accordingly, which was to be paid by the person who should deprive 
him of either. 

3. Their mode of proving crimes was singular. Instead of being 
determined by the evidence of witnesses, they referred the decision to 
the judgment of God, as it was called. There w r ere various modes 
of doing this, but the most common was the ordeal. This method 
was practised either by boiling water, or red-hot iron. 

4. The water or iron was consecrated by many prayers and fastings, 
after which the accused person either took up with his naked hand a 
stone sunk in the boiling water, or carried the heated iron to a certain 
distance. The hand was then wrapped up, and the covering sealed 
for three days ; if at the end of the time there appeared no marks of 
burning or scalding, the person was pronounced innocent ; otherwise 
he was declared guilty. 

5. Another way of performing the ordeal of hot iron was, by 
making the person to be tried, to walk blindfold over nine hot plough- 
shares, placed at certain distances. If he did this without being 
burnt, he was acquitted. These fiery ordeals were nothing but impo- 
sitions on the credulity of mankind. 

6. The whole was conducted under the direction of the priests, 
and the ceremony was performed in a church. No person w r as per- 
mitted to enter except the priest and the accused until the iron was 
heated, when twelve friends of the accused and twelve of the accuser 
were admitted, and ranged along the wall, on each side of the church, 
at a respectful distance. 

7. After the iron was taken from the fire several prayers were 
said, and many forms gone through ; all this might take a considera- 
ble time, if the priest were indulgent. It was always remarked that 
no good friend of the church ever sustained the least injury from the 
ordeal ; but if any one who had wronged the church was foolish 
enough to appeal to this mode of trial, he was sure to burn his fingers 
or his feet, and to lose his cause. 

8. I am afraid you will think all this very dull, but these are 
matters proper to be known. It may be a little more interesting to 
hear what officers were considered as necessary in the king's house- 
hold. The first in dignity was the mayor of the palace, always a 
prince of the royal family. The priest was the next in rank, who 
sat at the royal table to bless the meat, and to chant the Lord's 
prayer. 

9. The third was the steward, who had a variety of perquisites, 
and came in for a large share of every barrel of good ale, and cask 
of mead. Then came the judge, distinguished for his learning, and 

t lie shire en verned ? 2. Whatoflhe criminal laws of the Anglo-Saxons? 3. How were 
trials comlucteil / 1. 5. Describe the kinds "f ordeal, and mode (if proceeding. 6. Whc 
conducted these ceremonies 1- S. 'J. What officers had the king about him ? 



23 



THE KINGDOM OF ENGLAND ESTABLISHED. 



oy his loner beard. Last, and perhaps the most useful, wa.» the 
kino's feet-beaver. This was a young gentleman, whose duty i*. 
was to sit on the floor, and hold the king's feet in his bosom, while 
he sat at table, to keep them warm and comfortable. 



CHAPTER XL 

The Kingdom of England established.— The Banes become 
troublesome. — Saxon B.ace of Kings from Egbert to Al- 
fred. — Alfred the Great. 




Alfred and his mother. 

1. After the Saxons had expelled the Britons, finding n5 other 
enemies to subdue, they began to quarrel among themselves. At last 
Egbert, King of Wessex, a prince of great natural abilities, who had 
spent, some time at the court of Charlemagne, King of France, reduced 
all the other kingdoms to subjection, and in 827 was crowned King 
of Angle-land, or England, by which name this portion of the united 
kingdom has from that time been called. 

2. It was now nearly 400 years since the Saxons first came into 
Britain. They had begun to value the arts of peace, and hoped, 
under the government of one prince, to enjoy quiet. But they were 
disappointed. As they had robbed the more civilized Britons, so 
they themselves were subjected in their turn to the ravages of the 



XI. 



1 Who reduced England to one kingdom? When was he crowned? 2. Who 



SAXON RACE OF KINGS. 29 

Danes, who yet retained the savage and piratical habits of theii 
ancestors. 

3. They began their irruptions into England during the reign of 
Egbert. In the reign of Ethel wolf, his son, they became more for- 
midable. Landing from their little vessels, they scattered themselves 
over the face of the country in small parties, making spoil of every- 
thing that came in their way — goods, cattle, and people. 

4. If opposed by a superior force, they retreated to their boats, and 
sailing off, invaded some distant quarter, where they were not expected. 
All England was kept in continual alarm ; nor durst the people of one 
part go to the assistance of another, lest their own families and pos- 
sessions should be exposed to the fury of the ravagers. 

5. The harassed state of the country did not hinder the king from 
making a pilgrimage to Rome, taking with him his youngest son, 
Alfred, not yet six years old. Ethelwolf was a weak and supersti- 
tious prince, and the clergy of England took advantage of the oppor- 
tunity to obtain a grant of a tenth part, called a tithe, of the produce 
of land. 

6. During the reigns of Ethelbald, Ethelbert, and Ethelred, sons 
of Ethelwolf, who in succession governed England, the Danes con- 
tinued their piratical incursions. The last of these princes was 
killed in battle against them, in the year 871, and was succeeded by 
his youngest brother, Alfred, who was one of the best and greatest 
kings that ever reigned in England. 

7. Alfred, like the young Saxons in general, was brought up in so 
much ignorance, that he was not even taught to read ; but when he 
was about twelve years old, his mother one day showed him and his 
brothers a book of Saxon poetry, which was beautifully written and 
ornamented, and told them that she would give it to the one who 
should soonest learn to peruse it. 

8. Alfred applied himself with so much ardor, that in a very short 
time he was able to read the poem to the queen, who gave it to him 
as his reward. From this time he took the greatest delight in study ; 
but he had two great difficulties to struggle with ; one was, that 
there were so few. books to be had ; and the other, that there were so 
few people among the Saxons who could teach him anything. 

9. Notwithstanding all these obstacles, he soon became one of 
the most learned men of his time. Even when he was king, he 
always carried a book in the bosom of his robe, that whenever he 
had a spare moment he might be able to profit by it ; and thus, with- 
out neglecting any of his duties, he acquired a very extensive knowl- 
edge. 

10. His time was divided into three equal parts ; one third was 
devoted to religion and to study, another third to sleep and refresh- 
ment, and the other to the affairs of his kingdom. As there were no 
clocks or watches in use in England, Alfred contrived to measure 
time by the burning of candles. 

troubled the Saxons? 3, 4. What is said of ihe irruptions of the Danes'! 5. What ilitl 
Ei helwolf do ? What of his character? 6. Who succeeded him? When did Alfred 
hei'iii to reign? 7,8. What of Alfred's learning? 9. What instance of his regard lor 

3* 



JO 



ADVENTURES OF ALFRED. 



11 These candles were painted in rings of different breadth -o 
and colors — so many colors as he had things to attend to — and thu.j 
he knew by the burning of these candles when he had been employed 
long enough about any one thing. But he found that when the wind 
blew upon his candles they burnt quicker ; and so, to remedy the in- 
convenience, he invented lanterns to put them in. 



CHAPTER XII. 

More about Alfred. — His various Adventures. — He subdues 

the Danes. 



f^P^S 




Alfred relieving the pilgrim. 



1. Alfred was twenty-two years old when he succeeded his 
brother Ethelred. During the first eight years of his reign, he suf- 
fered continual persecution from the Danes, who at one time ob- 
tained almost entire possession of the kingdom, and Alfred was 
obliged to conceal himself. 

2. It was now very difficult for him to procure provisions, but he 
still retained his charitable disposition. One day, as he sat reading in 

■clKpW?tan5l 10 ' H ° W WaS th ' S timedivtded? How did he measure time i 11. De- 
XII. - 1. What of the first years of the reign of Alfred? 2, 3. What story is related 



ADVENTURES OF ALFRED. 



31 



his hut, whilst Elswitha, his wife, was employed in her domestic 
concerns, a poor pilgrim kecked at the door and begged they would 
give him something to eat. 

3. The humane king called to Elswitha, and asked her to give 
the poor man part of what was in the house. The queen, having 
but a single loaf of bread, brought it to Alfred to show him how 
slender their store was. But he was not to be deterred from his 
charitable purpose, and cheerfully gave to the poor man one half of 
the loaf. 

4. The better to conceal himself, Alfred at one time assumed the 
disguise of a servant, and hired himself to a cow-herd. One day, 
when he was in the cottage trimming his bow and arrows, the old 
man's wife, who did not know that he was the king, told him to 
watch some cakes that were baking by the fire. 




Alfred and the neat-herd' 's wife. 



5. Alfred, who had many other things to think of, forgot to turn 
them at the proper time, and they were all spoiled. The old woman 
was very angry with him, and told him he was a lazy fellow, who 
would eat the cakes, though he would not take the trouble to turn 
them, 

6. At length an occurrence took place, which revived, in some 
degree, the spirit of the Saxons. A Saxon noble, being besieged in 
his castle by a renowned Danish general, made a sally upon the enemy, 
and put them to rout. The Danish general himself was killed, and 
the Raven, a consecrated standard in which the Danes placed great 
confidence, was taken. 

7. Alfred was glad to see the valor of his people returning. Be- 
fore summoning them to assemble in arms, he resolved to learn by 

of his charity ? 4. 5. How did he disguise himself? What anecdote is related of him ? 
6. What revived the spirit of the English ? 7, 8. What did Alfred do to obtain a kuowl- 



32 



ALFRED SUBDUES THE DANES. 



personal observation the exact strength of the enemy, that he tmgn* 
judge of the probability of success. 



^VW 




Alfred the Great a harper. 

8 Disguising himself as a harper, he entered the Danish camp. 
When Guthram, the general of the Danes, heard him play and sing, 
he was so much pleased with him, that he made him stay for some 
days in the camp, supposing him to be some poor minstrel. 

9. Alfred made good use of his eyes all this time. He observed 
that the Danes, not supposing that the English could muster another 
army strong enough to attack them, were quite off their guard, and 
were dancing and singing, and thought of nothing but amusing them- 
selves. 

10. The king, having gained all the knowledge he wanted, slipped 
out of the camp, and throwing ofL all disguises, summoned his 
faithful subjects to meet him near oalwood Forest. The English, 
who had believed their beloved monarch to be dead, received the 
summons with great gladness, and joyfully resorted to the appointed 
place. 

11. Alfred did not allow their ardor to cool, but led them against 
the enemy, who were completely defeated. Instead of killing, or 
making slaves of the prisoners, as was often done in that barbarous 
age, he permitted them, upon their becoming Christians, and prom- 
ising to live honestly, to remain in England. They established 
themselves in East Anglia, and Northumberland ; but they and their 
descendants proved very troublesome subjects. 



edge of the condition of the Danes? 9. What did he observe in the Danish camp? 10. 
What measure did he in consequence adopt? 11. What was his success ? What did 
he do with his prisoners? 



ARCHITECTURE OF THE ANGLO-SAXONS. 33 

CHAPTER XIII. 

About the Architecture of the Anglo-Saxons, 

1. After the victory over Guthram, England enjoyed many years 
of peace and tranquillity. These were devoted by Alfred to repair- 
ing the mischief which had been done by the Danes. The churches 
and monasteries, as they contained the greatest riches, so they had 
been the first objects of attack and destruction. 

2. To repair these might seem no very difficult matter, for most of 
them were built of wood, and covered with thatch. Stones were 
only used in building castles, and strong places of defence. When 
the Saxons came into Britain, they found a great many beautiful 
palaces, baths, churches, and other buildings of stone, which had been 
erected by the Romans. 

3. Some of them were built with so much solidity that they would 
have remained to this day, if they had not been wilfully destroyed. 
This was done by the Saxons, who made it a rule to destroy every 
town or castle that they took, instead of preserving them for their 
own use. 

4. They had been accustomed to live in wretched hovels, made 
of earth, or wood, and covered with straw, or the branches of trees ; 
nor did they much improve their knowledge of architecture for 200 
years after their arrival in Britain. 

5. Towards the close of the seventh century, there lived two 
clergymen, Wilfrid, a famous bishop of York, and Benedict, founder 
of the monastery of Weremouth, who were great travellers. Dur- 
ing their frequent visits to Rome, they had acquired some taste for 
architecture, and resolved to attempt an improvement of the taste of 
their Saxon countrymen. 

6. " In the year 674," says Bede, " Benedict crossed the sea and 
brought with him a number ff masons, in order to build the church 
of his monastery of stone, after the Roman manner, of which he was 
a great admirer. When the work was far advanced, he sent agents 
into France, to procure glass-makers, to glaze the windows of his 
church and monastery. 

7. " These not only performed ths work required of them, but 
taught the English the art of making glass for windows, lamps, 
drinking-vessels, and other uses." The ancient Britons, indeed, 
were acquainted with this art, but the Saxons had never before 
acquired it. 

8. This stone building with glass windows was an object of great 
cpriosity and admiration, but did not find many imitators. When 
Alfred resolved to rebuild his ruined churches and monasteries, and 
to adorn his cities with stone buildings, he was obliged to send to 
foreign countries for workmen. 



XIII. — 1. What had been the ohiects of Danish destruction ? 2. "What nf the use of 
stone for huildin?? 3. What of the Roman buildings ? 4. What of the early architec- 
ture of the Saxons? 5. Who introduced the use of stone } 6, 7. What other art was 



34 LEARNING OF THE ANGLO-SAXONS. 

9. But even now the use of stone did not become general, and 
glass windows were only to be seen in churches. Long after Al- 
fred's time, the Anglo-Saxon nobles gave their feasts, and spent 
their great revenues, in low and inconvenient wooden structures, into 
which the light was admitted through holes cut in the Avails, and 
covered with lattice-work ; or, in stormy weather, with cloth. 

10. The Anglo-Saxon architecture seems to have been a rude 
imitation of the ancient Roman manner. The most admired churches 
were low and gloomy, their pillars plain and clumsy, the walls very 
thick, and the windows few and small, with semi-circular arches at 
the top. 



CHAPTER XIV. 

Of the Learning of the Anglo- Saxons. — The Clergy. 

1. When the Romans invaded Britain, they instructed and im* 
proved those whom they subdued. But darkness and desolation 
marked the course of the fierce and illiterate Saxons. 

2. As you may well suppose, Alfred was a liberal encourager of 
learning. He established many schools, and founded the University 
at Oxford. There had been a seminary at this place in more ancient 
times, but the ravages of war had ruined it. 

3. There were many impediments to progress in learning in those 
days. Books were very scarce and dear, so that few but kings and 
rich monasteries could afford to buy them. Alfred gave a great estate 
in land for a single volume on geography. 

4. Paper was not yet invented, and parchment enough could not 
be had for a great supply of books. Neither was printing invented 
till a long time afterwards, so that all books had to be written, and 
but few people were acquainted with that art. There are a few 
Saxon manuscripts now remaining, and some of them are very beau- 
tifully written. 

5. There was another difficulty in the way of acquiring knowl- 
edge. There were no signs or characters to express numbers, except 
the Roman letters, I, V, C, D, M. The study of arithmetic was 
pronounced by Aldhelm to be almost too difficult for the mind of 
man. It was made easier by the use of the figures 1, 2, 3, 4, &c, 
which were invented by the Arabians, and introduced into England 
about the year 1130. 

6. This Aldhelm whom I have quoted was a learned Saxon 
bishop, who lived in the seventh century. Alfred declared him to be 
the best of Saxon poets. He had a fine voice, and great skill in 
music as well as poetry. 

introduced ? 8. How was the example followed 7 9. What of the houses of the nobles ? 
10. What of Anglo- Saxon, architecture? Describe the churches. 

XIV. — 1. What of the Saxon attention to learning? 2. What did Alfred do for learn- 
ing ? What university did he found ? 3. What is said of hooks? 4. What of the 
Saxon manuscripts? 5. What other difficulty in the way of acquiring knowledge? Bv 
Whom were the present figures invented ? When introduced into England 7 6. What 



ALFRED ENCOURAGES THE ARTS. 35 

7. Observing the dislike of his countrymen to listen to regular 
instruction, he composed a number of little poems, which he sang to 
them at church, in the place of delivering a long sermon. He did 
this in so sweet a manner, that they were gradually instructed and 
civilized. 

8. What little learning there was, was confined to the clergy. 
The great body of these could do no more than read the Missal, as 
the Roman Catholic book of prayer is called. It is not uncommon 
to find in the ancient deeds a sentence like the following : " As my 

ord bishop could not write his own name, I have subscribed." 

9. At first, the clergy lived in large houses called monasteries, 
and were a society by themselves. These were generally surrounded 
by beautiful gardens, in which the inmates might take exercise. 
Such as were competent occupied themselves in teaching the young. 
To each monastery was attached a church in which was regular 
preaching. 

10. Besides these, there were no other churches in the kingdom, 
except the large ones at which the bishops attended, hence called 
cathedrals, of which there was one in each diocese, as the district is 
called of which a bishop has the care. 

11. When the monasteries were destroyed by the Danes, the 
clergy took refuge in the villages. Churches were built for them to 
preach in, separate from monasteries. After a time many of these 
priests married, and lived among their parishioners, as clergymen do 
now. They became so much attached to their new homes, that when 
Alfred had rebuilt the monasteries, and wanted the old inhabitants to 
go back, many refused to return. 



CHAPTER XV. 

Alfred encourages the Arts. — About the English Navy. — 
Death of Alfred. — Reign of Edward the Elder. 

1. Alfred also took great pains to improve his subjects in the 
useful and ingenious arts, and invited many skilful foreign workmen 
to instruct them. The English goldsmiths soon became very expert. 
We have evidence of their skill in a golden ornament of very beau- 
tiful workmanship, which was found at Athelney, and which is sup- 
posed to have been worn by Alfred. 

2. Athelney was the place where he concealed himself in his 
distress, and where he sometimes resided in his prosperity. The 
ornament is beautifully engraved with various figures, and bears this 
inscription in Saxon characters : " Alfred commanded me to be 
made." 

of Aldhelm ? 7. What mode did he adopt to instruct the people? 8. Who possessed 
all the learning? What of their learning? 9. How did the clergy live at first ? 1(J. 
What of the churches ? What is a cathedral? What a diocese ? 11. What change in 
their mode of life was caused bv the Danes 1 

XV. — 1. What did Alfred do for the arts? What of the skill of thegolt'smitha? What 



m 



THE ENGLISH NAVY. 



3. But the workmen most highly regarded were the blacksmiths, 
because they could make swords, and other instruments of war. 
Every soldier of rank was constantly attended by his smith, to keep 
his arms in order. The chief smith was an officer of great dignity 
at court. At table he sat next to the priest, and was entitled to h 
draught of every kind of liquor brought into the hall. 




Alfred the Great. 

4. Alfred was very desirous of creating a strong naval force, con- 
sidering that to be the surest defence against the Danes. But he 
had great difficulties to struggle with." His subjects knew nothing 
of ship-building, so he was obliged to get foreign ship-builders. 

5. In time his own subjects learned how to build ships, but there 
was a new difficulty — he had no sailors. These were also procured 
from other countries, and at last a considerable fleet was got together. 

6. This fleet did not prove a very effectual defence, for the Danes 
coming in 330 vessels, under a famous leader named Hastings, suc- 
ceeded in landing in Kent. A long contest endued. At length the 
wife and children of Hastings were taken prisoners. Alfred gave 
them back on condition that all the Danes should leave the country. 

7. The remainder of the reign of this truly great king was pros- 
perous. He lived beloved by his subjects, feared by his enemies, 
and admired by all mankind. The English, and, as their descend- 
ants, we, are indebted to the wisdom of Alfred for many very useful 
laws, and valuable rights. 



evidence have we of it ? 3. Who were the workmen most highly regarded ? 
What U said of Alfred's navy ? 6. What of a new attack by the' Danes ? 7 



Why? 4. 
What val- 



REIGN OF EDWARD THE ELDER. 3^ 

8. Amongst the rest, he instituted the right of trial by jury ; that 
is, the right of being tried and condemned by twelve of our eqz^als, 
before we are punished for any offence, or deprived of any estate 01 
privilege. Something like this had existed among the Saxons from 
the earliest times, but Alfred first reduced it to a regular system, and 
secured it by positive laws. 

9. Alfred died in 901, in the forty-ninth year of his age. He was 
succeeded by his son Edward, surnamed the Elder, because he was 
the first king of that name in England. He was equal to his father 
as a warrior, but greatly inferior to him in science and literature. He 
had a sister named Ethelfleda, who was as fond of war as himself, 
and who assisted him in many enterprises. Edward died in 925. 



CHAPTER XVI. 

Adventure of Aulaff. — The Long Battle. — Character of 
Athelstan. — His Death. 

1. Edward was succeeded by his eldest son, Athelstan. We have 
neglected to tell you that all these Saxon names have a meaning. 
Some of them were undoubtedly given for some personal peculiarity. 

2. Thus Egbert means bright eye ; and Alfred's wife's father was 
called Mucil, that is, large. Caprice appears to have dictated the 
choice of others, for as they were bestowed by the parents in infancy, 
little could have been known of the qualities of the bearers. Thus 
we have Ethelred, noble in council; Edward, the prosperous guar- 
dian ; Edwin, prosperous in battle, &c. Athelstan means the noble 
stone. 

3. The reign of Athelstan, like that of his father, was a continual 
conflict with the Danes. One of their generals, called Aulaff, tried 
the stratagem that had been practised with so much success by Al- 
fred. He disguised himself like a minstrel, and went into Athel- 
stan s camp. 

4. The king was much pleased with his music, and thinking he 
was a poor boy, gave him a piece of money. Aulaff was too proud 
to keep it, and when he got out of the king's tent, and thought 
nobody was in sight, he buried it in the ground. 

5. It happened that a soldier saw him, and, thinking this very 
strange, examined the pretended minstrel's face, and knew him to 
lie Prince Aulaff, but did not attempt to obstruct his departure. 
When the Danish prince had got to a safe distance, the soldier 
informed Athelstan of the discovery he had made. 

6. The king reproved him for letting such a dangerous enemy 
escape. " I once served Aulaff," replied the man, " and gave him 

liable ri?ht did Alfred secure fo the people ? 9. When did Alfred die? Who succeeded 
him ? What is said of Edward the Elder ? When did he die? 

XVI. — I. Who succeeded Edward? What is said of the Saxon names? 2. Give the 
meaning of some of them. 3, 4, 5, 6. Relate the adventure of AularF. 7. What followed 

4 



33 CHARACTER OF ATHELSTAN. 

the same faith that I have now given to you ; and if I had betrayed 
him, what trust would you have reposed in my truth 1 Let him die, 
if such be his fate, but not through my treachery. Secure yourself 
from danger, and remove your tent, lest he should assail you una- 
wares." 

7. Athelstan was pleased with the honest soldier's answer, and 
took his advice. It was well he did, for that very night AulafT, with 
a chosen band, broke into the camp, and killed a bishop who had 
pitched his tent upon the spot where the king's had stood. 

8. The noise of the attack waked the Saxons, and the battle 
became general. It lasted all that night, and all the following day, 
and is distinguished in Saxon history by the name of the long battle. 
It ended in Athelstan's gaining a complete victory, which secured 
to him the peaceful possession of his kingdom. 

9. Athelstan is regarded as one of the ablest of the ancient princes. 
One law which he made certainly affords proof of liberality and 
enlargement of mind. He decreed that any merchant who had made 
three long sea voyages on his own account should be admitted to the 
rank of a thane. 

10. He was most courteous in his manners, and was much beloved^ 
by his subjects. It is related that his hair was bright yellow, and that 
he wore it beautifully plaited. He died in 941, in the forty-sixth year 
of his age, and the sixteenth of his reign. 



CHAPTER XVII. 

How Edmund, a brave king, was murdered. — About Edred. 
— St. Dunstan. — Hoiv he resisted the temptations of the 
Devil. 

1. Edmund, a brother of Athelstan, succeeded to the throne. He 
was only eighteen years old. The Danes, whom Alfred had per- 
mitted to settle in Northumberland, had caused great trouble in the 
country. They were continually rising in rebellion, and attempting 
to establish an independent government. 

2. AulafT, whose adventure I have related to you, was now their 
prince. He had escaped from the long battle, and taken refuge in 
Ireland. The youth and inexperience of the king gave him hopes of 
better success in a new attempt. He collected a large army, which 
was totally defeated by the English under Edmund, and the whole 
country was reduced to submission. 

3. Edmund had displayed so much wisdom and courage, that there 
was every hope his reign would be a happy one, when a sudden 
end was put to it. He was sitting at a feast, with all his nobles 

it? 8. What is the battle which succeeded called ? 9. What of Athelstan ? What law 
did he make? 10. When did he die? 

XVII. — 1. Who succeeded Athelstan? Whatof the Northumberland Danes? 2. What 
of AulafT? What was the success of his new attempt ? 3, 4. Relate the manner of 



ABOUT ST. DUNSTAN. 39 

about him, when a notorious robber, named Leolf, whom he had ban- 
ished from the kingdom, had the audacity to come into the hall, and 
take a seat at table. 

4. The king ordered him to leave the room, but Leolf refused to 
obey. Enraged at this fresh insult, the king sprang from his seat, 
and seizing him by the hair, threw him down. The robber, upon this, 
drew his dagger, and stabbed the king to the heart. Thus died this 
hopeful young prince, when he was only twenty-four years old, in the 
year 948. 

5. Edmund left two little sons, named Edwy and Edgar, but they 
were so young that Edred, his brother, was acknowledged as king. 
At the commencement of his reign the Danes again rebelled, but were 
speedily subdued. He took effectual means to prevent their disturb- 
ing the peace of the kingdom. 

6. He no k#lger allowed them to be governed by a prince of their 
own race, but placed an English governor over them. English troops 
were fixed in all the principal towns. 

7. Edred would have led, on the whole, a quiet life, if he had not 
suffered himself to be governed by an ambitious priest called St. Dun- 
stan. He was an Englishman, of noble family, who was educated for 
the church. To acquire a character for sanctity, he secluded himself 
from the world. He had a cell made, so small that he could neither 
stand upright in it, nor stretch out his limbs when he laid down. 

8. Here he employed himself perpetually, either in devotion, or in 
making useful and ingenious things of iron and brass. Many foolish 
stories are told of the temptations to which he was subjected. He 
fancied that the devil, assuming a human shape, made him frequent 
visits. 

9. One day, as he was busily at work, the devil popped his head 
into the window, and asked him to make something for him. St. 
Dunstan, soon finding out who it was, seized him by the nose with a 
pair of red-hot tongs, and held him there, whilst he bellowed most 
lustily. 

10. These, and a thousand other stories equally ridiculous, were 
seriously told, and implicitly believed by the people, and gained for 
Dunstan the reputation which he desired. He now appeared in the 
world again, and soon gained such an influence over Edred, that the 
king consulted him not only about matters of religion, but entrusted 
to him the management of the affairs of state. 

Edmund's death, 5. Who succeeded Edmund? 6. What means did he adopt to keep 
the Danes in subjection? 7. Who was Dunstan ? What did he do to acquire a reputa- 
tion ? S, 9. What ridiculous story is related of him? 10. What was the consequence 
of these stories? 



40 THE MONKS. 

CHAPTER XVIII. 

About the Monks, and the Secular Clergy. — Story of Eawy 
and Elgiva. — How St. Dunstan gained a great influence 
with the people. 

1. Still further to increase his power and influence, Dunstan 
resolved to make an innovation in the church, as it existed in Eng- 
land. The change had already been made in other countries. This 
was by the introduction of a new order of clergy, called monks. 

2. These secluded themselves entirely from the world, and lived in 
monasteries. They were bound by a vow to live according to a cer- 
tain system or rule. By this they were required to remain unmar- 
ried, to be content with coarse fare, and hard beds. They were also 
bound to yield implicit obedience, in all things, to the head of the 
monastery, who was called the Abbot, or the Superior. 

3. The old clergy were called Seculars; and between the two 
bodies a furious contest at once arose, which agitated the whole king- 
dom, and finally produced a civil war. The secular clergy were very 
numerous and rich, and possessed of all the offices in the church ; but 
Dunstan wielded all the power of the king, who had become indolent, 
and helpless from ill health, and permitted him to do whatever he 
pleased. 

4. Edred died in 955. Edwy, the oldest son of Edmund, then 
succeeded to the throne. He was not above sixteen years old. He 
was possessed of virtues and abilities which would have made him a 
great favorite with the people, had he not, unhappily, engaged in the 
religious disputes, and taken part with the secular priests, in opposi- 
tion to the monks. 

5. An act of Edwy's was, by the cruelty and hard-heartedness of 
St. Dunstan, made the means of destroying not only the happiness, 
but also the life of that prince. Edwy had a beautiful cousin, Elgiva, 
whom he loved very dearly, and whom he married. 

6. St. Dunstan, and Odo, another churchman completely under his 
control, declared it to be sinful for a man to marry his cousin, and did 
all they could to disturb their happiness The king now called upon 
Dunstan to give an account of the money which he had received as 
treasurer of the kingdom. Being unable to do this, Dunstan was 
banished from the country. 

7. Though absent, he was not idle. He excited Edgar, who was 
still a boy, to raise a rebellion against his brother, and as soon as he 
had assembled an army, joined him in person. Meanwhile, Odo con- 
trived to seize on the poor queen, cruelly burned her face with hot 
irons, in order to destroy her beauty, and then he had her carried to 
Ireland, where she was kept a prisoner. 



XVIII. — 1. What change did St. Dunstan make in thechurch? 2. What issaidof the 
monks? By whom were they governed? 3. What were the old clergy called? What 
is said of the two parties ? 4. When did Edred die ? Who succeeded him ? What of 
Edwy ? 5. What did Edwy do ? 6. What did Dunstan declare ? Why was he banished 
from the country ? 7. What did Dunstan do? What became of Elgiva ? 8. What of 



EDGAR THE PEACEABLE. 41 

8. The people regarded Dunstan as a saint, and their superstitious 
reverence was kept up by pretended messages from heaven. Cruci- 
fixes, altars, and even horses, were said to have been gifted with the 
power of speech, in order to harangue in his favor. 

9. By the assistance of these pretended miracles, which were fully 
believed by the people, the monks prevailed. Edwy was deprived of 
the largest part of his dominions. To complete his afflictions, his be- 
loved Elgiva, having escaped from Ireland, got as far as Gloucester, 
on her way to join him ; there she was discovered by her savage per- 
secutors, who put her to death. Edwy died of a broken heart, in 959. 



CHAPTER XIX. 

Edgar the Peaceable. — Reign and Death of Edward the 

Martyr. 

1. Edgar, the next king, was only sixteen years old when he be- 
came sole sovereign of the whole kingdom, of a large portion of which 
his rebellious arms had before made him master. He was completely 
governed by St. Dunstan, and other meddling monks, who, in return, 
wrote the history of his life, and praised him as the best king that ever 
lived. 

2. It is difficult to tell how much of their praise he deserved. They 
represent him not only as a great statesman, and a man of great abili- 
ties, but also as a saint and a man of great virtue. We know that he 
has no claims to the latter character, but that he was a consummate 
hypocrite, who, whilst he was falsely charging the secular clergy 
with various wickedness, was himself guilty of the most enormous 
crimes. 

3. He seems, however, to have been an active prince, and to have 
governed his kingdom with wisdom. Many good laws were made 
by him, and justice was so well administered, that travellers had no 
longer any fear of robbers. We are also told, as a proof of his power, 
that having occasion to pass by water from one place to another, he 
was rowed in his barge by eight tributary princes. 

4. It also appears certain that he attended diligently to the naval 
affairs of his kingdom ; he had so large a fleet, that the Danes never 
ventured to molest him. To make his sailors expert, he kept his 
ships constantly sailing round the island. 

5. Whilst he was totally regardless of his own morals, he was 
very careful about those of his subjects. Instead of setting them a 
good example, he endeavored to promote religion by laws. Amongst 

the feelings of the people? What artifices were used to excite their feelings? 
9. Which party prevailed ? What became of Elgiva? When did Edwy die ? 

XIX. — 1. Who succeeded Edwy ? 3. By whom was Edgar governed ? 2. What of the 
character of Edgar? 3. What of the state of the kingdom? What instance of his 
power? 4. What of the navy ? 5. What law did he make ? 6. What tribute did b 
4* 



42 REIGN AND DEATH OF EDWARD. — A. D. 975. 

others, he ordained that every Sunday should be strictly ooserved, 
and should begin at three o'clock on Saturday afternoon, and end at 
sunrise on Monday. 

6. Wales, and a great part of England, were at this time infested 
by wolves. To get rid of thern, Edgar commanded that instead of 
the annual tribute in money and cattle, which the Welsh kings were 
bound to pay him, they should bring three hundred wolves' heads 
yearly. This plan succeeded so well that in three years the whole 
race was nearly exterminated. 

7. After having reigned seventeen years, Edgar died in 975. His 
reign was so free from wars and tumults, that he obtained the title of 
Edgar the Peaceable. He left two sons, Edward, the son of his first 
wife, and Ethelred, whose mother, Elfrida, was yet living. 

8. Elfrida was ambitious that her son should be king, instead of 
his half-brother; but the influence of that bustling priest, Dunstan, 
placed the crown on the head of Edward. This poor young man 
behaved kindly and gently to everybody, and very liberally to his 
ambitious step-mother ; but this did not prevent her from contriving 
his death. 

9. One day, when he was hunting near Corfe Castle, in Dorset 
shire, where Elfrida lived, he rode up to the castle, entirely alone, 
and, unsuspicious of ill, to make the queen a passing visit. Elfrida 
received him with much pretended kindness, and, as he declined dis- 
mounting, she presented him with a cup of wine. 

10. While he was drinking, she stabbed him in the back. Edward, 
finding himself wounded, put spurs to his horse, and galloped off", but, 
becoming weak from loss of blood, he fell from his horse, and was 
dragged by the stirrup till he was dead. 

11. As Elfrida was the head of the party opposed to the monks, 
they chose to consider Edward as having fallen in the cause of reli- 
gion, and styled him, Edward the Martyr. They affirmed, and the 
superstitious people readily believed, that many miracles were per- 
formed at his tomb. 



CHAPTER XX. 

Ethelred II. succeeds to the throne. — About Penance. — Indul- 
gences. — The Butter Tower. 

1. Ethelred was only ten years old when the wickedness of his 
mother thus raised him to the throne. Being of an amiable disposi- 
tion, he was much affected by the death of his brother, and shed 
many tears. This looked like a reproach to his mother, who became 
very angry ; nothing else being at hand, she seized a large wax can- 
dle and beat the poor boy almost to death. 



require of Wales? Why? 7. When did he die? What sons did he leave? 8. Who 

exceeded him? 9 10 Relate the particulars of his death. II. What was he surnarned? 

-5JL--1. How did Ethelred bear his brother's death ? 2. What did his mother do* 



ABOUT PENANCE. — A. D. 975. 43 

2. It is said that Ethelred never forgot this beating, and that to 
the day of his death he could not bear the sight of a wax candle ! 
Though his wicked mother had now obtained the object of her ambi- 
tion, she was, as we may well believe, anything- but happy. 

3. In those superstitious times, when any one had committed an 
offence, instead of making- amends for it by sincere repentance, and by 
repairing, to the utmost, the harm he had done, the monks used o 
persuade him that it could be completely atoned for by doing penance. 

4. To do penance was often to go barefoot, or to sleep on a hard 
board. The Saxons were very fond of bathing in warm water, but 
had a great aversion to bathing in cold water. One of the most com- 
mon penances required of those who had been guilty of great sins 
was to abstain from the warm bath ; or, if they had been particularly 
enormous, to substitute cold water for warm. 

5. To the rich these penances were of very little consequence, since 
they might always buy off their punishments. For instance, if a rich 
man was ordered to fast for a week, as a penance, he was considered 
to have performed it, if he hired seven men to fast for one day. 

6. Indulgences, as they are called, were also to be bought ; that is, 
permission to commit crimes. It was against the rules of the estab- 
lished church to eat butter during the season of fasting called Lent ; 
and we have an account of a church at Rouen, in France, one of the 
towers of which is called the Butter Tower, because it was built with 
money that was paid for indulgences to eat butter during Lent. 

7. Rich sinners were exhorted to build churches and monasteries, 
and to give them great revenues for the support of the monks, who 
pretended to pass their whole time in thinking of holy things, and in 
prayers, and they promised that the benefactors of their respective 
societies should be constantly remembered in them. 

8. The ignorant and superstitious laymen were easily persuaded 
that the prayers of such holy men must be more efficacious than their 
own. In the course of time a very large portion of the property of the 
country came into the possession of the churchmen. This was so 
great, an evil that laws were made forbidding any person to make gifts 
of land to the church. 

9. Elfrida founded monasteries, performed penances, and did all that 
the priests required, but none of these things could calm the upbraid- 
ings of her own conscience, or restore her peace of mind. At last 
she retired to a monastery, where she passed the remainder of her life 
in fasting and prayer. 



What of his mother? 3. How were offences atoned for in those times ? 4. What are 
some instances of penance? 5. How did the rich perform their penances? 6. What 
were indulgences? What of the Butter Tower? 7. What other things were recom- 
mended to the rich? 8. What was the consequence? 9. What further of Elfrida ? 



44 1HE DANES RENEW THEIR INCURSIONS. - A. D. 980. 



CHAPTER XXL 

The Danes reneio their Incursions. — They are bribed with 
'money to depart, but appear again the next year. — Peace 
at length made with them. 

1. It was now a long time since England had been troubled by 
incursions of the Danes. This was in part owing to the good state 
of preparation for defence in which the kingdom had been kept, and 
in part to the fact that the Danes found sufficient employment in 
another quarter. 

2. A body of them, under the command of Rollo, had gained a set- 
tlement in France. They were called Northmen, or Normans, by 
the French, and the district of France in which they settled was hence 
called Normandy. This settlement employed all their superfluous 
population for many years. 

3. In 980, a small band of adventurers landed upon the coast of 
England, and, after ravaging the country for some extent, escaped 
with their booty. These piratical incursions were continued for sev- 
eral years. 

4. Emboldened by their success, and encouraged by the distracted 
state of England, if not by the direct invitation of Dunstan, or of his 
partisans the monks, for he himself died in 988, the Danes came in 991 
with a great force. Ethelred had sufficient warning, and ample time 
to prepare, but yet had made no provision for defence. Hence he has 
been called Ethelred the Unready. 

5. The Danes advanced into the heart of the country, and Ethel- 
red was obliged to resort to the disgraceful expedient of paying them 
a large sum of money to go away. This, to be sure, at that time they 
did ; but it was only to return again the next year, in hopes of being 
again bribed. 

6. Ethelred was now better prepared, and would have destroyed 
their whole fleet, but for the treachery of one of his noWes, who 
deserted to the enemy, and gave them such information of the plans 
of the English as enabled them to escape with the loss of only one 
ship. 

7. In their next expedition, the Danes were commanded by Sweyn, 
their king. They remained two years, pillaging the country in vari- 
ous parts. They were at length induced to depart, by the gift of a 
very large sum of money. But the kingdom gained only one year's 
rest from these marauders, for they again returned, and were again 
bribed to leave the country. 

8. Sweyn had a sister named Gunilda, who w r as a woman of great 
virtue and abilities. She was married to an English nobleman, and 

XXI. — 1. What of the Danes? 2. How had they been occupied ? 3. When did they 
reappear in England? 4. When did Dunstan die? What was Ethelred called? Why? 
5. How were the Danes induced to depart ? 6. What was their success the next year J 



MASSACRE OF THE DANES IN ENGLAND. — A. D. 1002. 45 

had become a Christian. She had long beheld with grief and horroi 
the devastations committed by her countrymen. 

9. By her intercession, a treaty of peace was made between the 
English and the Danes. She offered herself, her husband, and her 
only son, as sureties for the fidelity of the Danes, whose repeated 
breaches of faith had rendered the English completely distrustful of 
them. 

10. As an additional protection, Ethelred married Emma, daughter 
of Richard, Duke of Normandy, a descendant of Rollo. He was one 
of the most powerful princes of the time, and besides he was himself 
of Danish origin. There was no hardship in this, for Emma was the 
most beautiful princess in Europe. 



CHAPTER XXII. 

Massacre of the Banes in England. — Their death avenged by 
Sweyn. — Reign of Edmund Ironside. — Canute the Bane 
conquers England. 

1. I cannot give you a better account, of the condition of England 
than in the words of a report made to Sweyn by one of his officers. 

' A country naturally powerful ; a king asleep, solicitous only about 
his pleasures, and trembling at the name of war ; hated by his people, 
and laughed at by strangers. Generals, envious of each other ; and 
governors ready to fly at the first shout of battle." 

2. But still the measures which had been adopted might have 
secured peace to England, but for an act of barbarity, as unwise as- it 
was wicked. In the year 1002, the king was persuaded by his coun- 
sellors to issue secret orders to his officers, that on the 13th of No- 
vember, which is the Feast of St. Brice, all the Danes in England 
should be murdered. The order was barbarously executed. Men, 
women, and children, fell indiscriminately in the general slaughter. 

3. Amongst the other victims was the generous Gunilda. The 
monster, to whose custody she and her family had been committed, 
first caused her husband and son, though they were English, to be 
murdered before her eyes. 

4. When the assassins approached her, she calmly represented to 
them the consequences of their conduct. She foretold the total ruin 
of England, from the vengeance which her brother, who was a great 
and powerful prince, and to whom she was very dear, would not fail 
to take. Never was prophecy better fulfilled. A few young Danes, 
were fortunate enough to get on board a vessel, and setting sail, soor 
reached their native country. 

7. Who commanded the next expedition? 8. What of Gunilda? 9. Who procured 
jeace ? Who did Ethelred marry ? What of the Duke of Normandy ? 

XXII. — 1. What of England in the time of Ethelred ? 2. What barbarous act did 
th« king order? When was it executed? 3, 4. What of Gunilda 1 5. What did Sweyn 



46 DRESS AND AMUSEMENTS OF THE ANGLO-SAXONS. — 1008. 

5. Sweyn. who had given up all thoughts of making further expe- 
ditions, was roused to fury by the news of his sister's death, so faith- 
lessly and ignominiously slain. Collecting a large army, he invaded 
England. After several years he succeeded in getting entire posses- 
sion of the country, and was acknowledged as king. Ethelred, with 
his wife and two young sons, took refuge in' Normandy. 

6. Sweyn died in 1013. As soon as Ethelred heard of his death, 
he went back to England, and conducted himself with such unexpected 
activity and courage, that he compelled the Danes, with their young 
king, Canute, to return home. If Ethelred had been wise and pru- 
dent, he might now have reestablished himself upon the throne, but 
his conduct was such as to alienate the affection of his adherents. 

7. Canute now returned, and after the death of Ethelred, in 1016, 
compelled Edmund, his eldest son and successor, to divide the king- 
dom with him. Edmund survived this division only one month, when 
he was murdered by one of his own nobles, and Canute became sole 
king of England. The great personal courage and hardihood of 
Edmund have obtained for him the surname of Ironside. 



CHAPTER XXIII. 

About the Dress and Amusements of the Anglo-Saxons. — The 

Gleemen. 

1. I will now tell you something about the dress and amusements 
of the Anglo-Saxons. The tunic which they wore very much resem- 
bled in its shape the frock worn by our farmers and draymen. These 
tunics were bound in round the waist with a belt, and usually came 
no lower than the knee ; only kings and nobles wore them down to 
the feet. 

2. People of rank wore, over the other, a short tunic, or surcoat, 
made of silk, and richly embroidered and ornamented ; a linen shirt, 
shaped much like a modern shirt, was now an indispensable part of 
the dress of the rich. The poor wore no shirt, and had only a tunic 
made of coarse cloth. The slaves wore an iron collar round the neck, 
and were clad in tunics open at the sides. 

3. To judge by the pictures we have of the Anglo-Saxons, they 
appear generally to have gone bareheaded ; though they occasionally 
wore fur caps. The hair was parted in the middle, and hung down 
on the shoulders in waving ringlets. The beard was shaven on the 
upper lips, and top of the chin ; the rest grew long, and was kept 
very smooth, and was usually divided in the middle, and hung down 
in two points. 

do? What became of Eihelred ? 6. When did Sweyn die? What did Ethelred then 
do? 7 When did Ethelred die? Who succeeded him? What of the kingdom ? How 
did Edmund die ? What is he surnamed ? Who was now king of England ? 
XXIII. — I, 2. Describe the dress of the Anglo-Saxon men. 3. What of the hair and 



THE GLEEMEN. — 1016. 47 

4. The ladies wore a linen under-dress, with long- tight sleeves ; 
and over that a wide robe or gown, fastened round the waist by a belt, 
and long enough to conceal the feet. Their head-dress was a square 
piece of linen, or silk, so put on as to conceal the hair and neck, and 
showing only the face. 

5. Historians talk of their curls and crisping-pins ; but their pic- 
tures show us nothing but the face peeping through the folds of their 
cover-chief ; and it ought to be remembered to the honor of the Saxon 
ladies, that while the men were continually adopting new fashions in 
dress, there was in three hundred years little or no change in that of 
the women. 

6. Both sexes wore mantles, more or less splendid, according to 
their rank, and a profusion of gold ornaments, fringes, and bracelets. 
I had almost forgotten to mention the stockings of the Saxon beaux. 
They were of gay colors, often red and blue ; at one time they cross- 
gartered their legs, as the Highlanders in Scotland still do. 

7. The Anglo-Saxon nobles spent most of their revenues in giving 
great feasts to their friends and followers. These feasts were more 
remarkable for their abundance than for their elegance. The meat 
was generally dressed by boiling. It would seem that they had no 
grates or fire-places, but made a fire on the ground, and placed the 
kettle over it. 

8. At these feasts they sat on long benches, at large square tables, 
and every person took his place according to his rank. But if any 
one took a higher place than he was entitled to, he was degraded to 
the bottom of the table, and all the company had a right to pelt him 
with bones. 

9. These tables were set out with great nicety, and were covered 
with clean table-linen, and every person had a separate drinking-horn, 
— for there were no such things as glasses, — and his own mess of 
broth to himself. They had knives and wooden spoons, but the lux- 
ury of forks was unknown. 

10. We have already told you that the Anglo-Saxons were very 
ignorant, and could neither read nor write. So you may suppose a 
great deal of their time hung heavily on their hands ; for to feasting, 
hunting, and fighting, there must be sometimes a cessation In rainy 
weather, and winter evenings, when they had played with their dogs, 
and sharpened their arrows, and brightened their spears, you may 
suppose they often did not know what to do with themselves. 

11. Anybody who could sing a song, or play on the harp, or tell 
an amusing story, was therefore much courted and valued ; and this 
occasioned some persons to make it their business to learn all these 
accomplishments. These persons, whom they called gleemen, but 
who are now usually called minstrels, used to rove about the country, 
from house to house, and from castle to castle, singing their songs, 
and telling their stories, which were commonly in verse, and every- 
body made them welcome, and was glad to see them. 

beard? 4,5. What of the ladies' dress ? 6. What of mantles? Stockings? 7,8.9 
Describe their feasts, and manners at table. 10. Occupation. 11, 12. Who were rlee 
men? What made their cunpany acceptable ? 13. Whence the name backgammon? 



48 



ABOUT CANUTE THE GREAT. 



12 Even in times of war, when it was dangerous for other people 
to travel they went everywhere without molestation ; for no one 
would hurt a poor gleeman, who was always so pleasant and so enter- 
taining a guest. It was in the character of a gleeman that Alfred 
visited the Danish camp. i OTT ;„„ wv 

13 Sometimes the Saxons amused themselves by playing back- 
gammon, which was invented by the Welsh, and called by them from 
two words in their language, back common, or little battle. 



CHAPTER XXIV. 

About Canute the Great. — His Rebuke of his Courtiers. 




Canute embracing; Christianity. 



1. The English showed, at first, some repugnance to accept for 
their king a foreigner and an enemy ; but Canute, who was a wise 
and powerful prince, reconciled all their differences, and peaceably 
ascended the throne. The two little sons of Edmund were sent into 
Hungary, where the eldest died ; but the younger, named Edward, 
lived to grow up, and married Agatha, sister of the Queen of Hungary ; 
you will hear of him again. 

2. To shuw his confidence in his new subjects, Canute sent almost 
all his Danish troops back to Denmark. He secured himself from 

VXIY - What became of the sons of Edmund 1 2. Flow did Canute show his con- 



ABOUT CANUTE THE GREAT. 



49 



any attempt on the part of the Duke of Normandy in favor of the sons 
ot Emma, by marrying that widowed queen. 

3. Canute, though brought up a pagan, embraced Christianity, and 
his conduct was so wise and prudent that he has been called by his- 
torians Canute the Great. He was large in person, and very strong ; 
he was of fair complexion, and distinguished for his beauty ; his hair 
was thick and long, and his eyes were bright and sparkling. 

4. England, under his government, enjoyed many years of tran- 
quillity. During this time Canute employed himself in making new 
laws, and in promoting the prosperity of the country. Poetry was the 
favorite art of" the age, and Canute did not disdain the character of a 
poet ; the first stanza of a poem written by him on hearing the monks 
of Ely singing, as he was passing by on the water, is still on record 

5. Cheerful sang the monks of Ely, 

As Canute the king was passing by ; 

Row to the shore, knights, said the King, 

And let us hear these churchmen sing. 

This poem was afterwards sung in the churches, which gives us a 
curious notion of the sacred poetry of those times. 




Canute reproving his Courtiers. 

6 The manner in which Canute rebuked the flattery of his cour- 
tiers is worth relating. They had been extolling him as the greatest 



fidence in the English? 3. What of Canute ? 4. What of England during his reign ? 

4 



50 REIGNS OF HAROLD HAREFOOT AND OF HARDICANUTE. 

and most powerful king in the world, and added that it was impossible 
for anything to resist his commands. Canute ordered his chair to be 
placed on the sea-shore while the tide was rising. 

7. As the waters approached, he commanded them to retire, and 
to obey the voice of him who was lord of the ocean. He sat some 
time, pretending to expect that the waves would obey ; but they con 
tinued to rise higher and higher, till they touched the king's feet, 
when, turning to his courtiers, who stood by wondering what it all 
meant, he made them observe, and acknowledge, that God alone wa? 
omnipotent. 

8. Canute received many of the English nobles into great favor 
The chief of them was Earl Godwin, a powerful and ambitious man, 
who married his daughter, and whose son afterwards became king, 
as you will presently hear. Canute died in 1035, having preserved 
England in peace during the whole of his reign, a term of eighteen 
years. 



CHAPTER XXV. 

Reigns of Harold Harefoot, and of Hardicanute 

1. Canute left three sons; Sweyn, Harold, and Hardicanute. 
The succession to the throne of England had been settled on the 
latter, who was queen Emma's son ; but he being in Denmark when 
his father died, Harold seized on the crown, and took possession of 
the late king's treasures. Earl Godwin, and the greater part of the 
English, declared for Hardicanute. 

2. The difficulty was settled by a division of the kingdom. It was 
agreed that the portion assigned to Hardicanute should be governed 
by Emma, until his return. Harold soon gained Godwin to his inter- 
ests, by promising to marry his daughter, and to declare her children 
heirs to the crown. 

3. Two sons of Ethelred and Emma were yet living in Normandy, 
under the protection of their uncle. To get them into his power, 
Harold forged a letter in the name of Emma, earnestly inviting them 
to come to England, where, they were told, they would be received 
with joy by the people, and one of them acknowledged as king. Still 
further to deceive, them, the letter was filled with abuse of Harold 
himself. 

4. The letter was written so much in the style of their mother, 
that the princes were deceived. Alfred, the most active of the two, 
trusting himself with a few Normans on board some ships, sailed for 
England. Soon after landing he was met by Godwin, who professed 
the greatest friendship for him, and loaded him with caresses. 



5. Repeat a verse written by him. 6, 7. Relate the anecdote of Canute rebukin<* his 
courtiers. 8. What of Earl God win ? When did Canute die? 

XXV. — 1. What happened in England upon Canute's death? 2. How were the diffi- 
culties sealed? 3. What of Harold's stratagem? 4, 5. Relate the particulars of the 



EDWARD THE CONFESSOR. 



51 



5. But the treacherous Earl, taking- advantage of his confidence, 
seized him in the night-time, and sent him to Ely, where he was 
either actually murdered, or died in consequence of the cruel treat- 
ment he suffered. 

6. As soon as Emma heard of his fate, she fled into Flanders, and 
Harold took possession of the whole kingdom. He did not, however, 
long- enjoy the fruits of his cruelty and ambition, for he died in 1039. 
He was remarkable for his swiftness in walking and running, which 
obtained for him the name of Harold Harefoot. 

7. As soon as Hardicanute, who had joined his mother in Flan- 
ders, heard of the death of Harold, he came to England, and was 
received with joy by the people. But he soon lost the affections of 
his subjects by his bad conduct. His violent government, however, 
did not last long, for he died in 1041, having shortened his life bv 
intemperance. 



CHAPTER XXVI. 

Edward the Confessor. — Harold. — About the Conquest. 




Queen Emma passing the ordeal. 

1. The ill conduct of Harold and Hardicanute had disgusted the 
English with Danish sovereigns, and they now resolved to restore 
the Saxon line of princes. Edmund, commonly called the Exile, 



death of Alfred ? 6. What did Harold then do? When did he die? What was he sur- 
named? 7. Who succeeded Harold ? When did Hardicanute die? 
XXVI. — 1. What led to the restoration of the Saxon race of kings? Who was the 



52 EDWARD THE CONFESSOR. 

that son of Edmund Ironside who, as we have already related, was 
taken care of by the King of Hungary, was the nearest heir to the 
crown. 

2. But he was so little known, and at so great a distance, that 
he was passed by, and Edward, called the Confessor, which is sy- 
nonymous with Saint, the son of Ethelred and Emma, was invited 
to ascend the throne. Edward, having a timid and unambitious dis- 
position, did not desire to be king, but was prevailed on by Earl 
Godwin, now the most powerful person in the kingdom, to be 
crowned. 

3. The restoration of the Saxon line caused great joy throughout 
the kingdom, and was long celebrated by an annual festival, called 
Hoheday. Edward married Edgitha, daughter of Earl Godwin. He 
took off a tax which had been first imposed by Ethelred to raise 
money to bribe the Danes, and hence called Danegelt. 

4. Edward, having been brought up by the Normans, had many 
favorites of that nation, who came flocking over to him, and were 
loaded by him with benefits. He likewise introduced the Norman 
fashion of wearing loose trowsers, and substituted the Norman title 
Baron, for the old Anglo-Saxon word Thane. 

5. The English nobles, and especially Earl Godwin, took great 
offence at the king's regard for the Normans. Their jealousies at 
length became so violent, that the king banished Godwin, and gave 
his possessions to Norman favorites. Even the queen, because she 
was the earl's daughter, was very harshly treated, and it is said that 
to clear herself freui some charge, she was compelled to walk over 
red-hot ploughshares, which she did without being injured. 

6. Godwin assembled a large force, and compelled the king to 
restore to him his possessions, and to banish the Normans, who left 
the country as quickly and as secretly as possible, to avoid being 
murdered by the populace. 

7. Godwin died soon after, as he was sitting at table with the 
king. Harold, his eldest son, was quite as ambitious as his father, 
and had set his heart on succeeding Edward, who had no children, 
on the throne. But the king, to defeat his ambitious designs, sent to 
Edward the Exile to come to England. 

8. The prince obeyed the summons, but died a few months after 
his arrival, leaving a little son, named Edgar Atheling, and two 
daughters, friendless orphans in a country from which he had him 
self been banished forty years. His death strengthened the hopes of 
Harold, and, on the death of Edward the Confessor, in 1066, he was 
crowned king. 

9. He did not find the throne a peaceable possession ; for William, 
Duke of Normandy, immediately asserted his right to it, under pre- 
tence that Edward had left him the kingdom in his will. To main 



nearest heir ? 2. Who was called to the throne ? What of Edward ? 3. What of a fes- 
tival ? Who did Edward marry ? 4. Who were the favorites of Edward ? What changes 
did he introduce? 5. What was the consequence? How was Godwin treated? How 
the queen? 6. What did Godwin do? 7. What of Harold, son of Godwin ? Whom 
did Edward wish to be his heir? 8. Who was Edgar Atheling? When did Edward 
lie Confessor die ? Who succeeded Edward? 9. Who disputed Harold's possession ? 



SAXON KINGS OF ENGLAND. 



53 



tain his claim, William went with a large army to England, where 
he landed on the twenty-eighth of September, 1066. 

10. On the fourteenth of October was fought the great battle of 
Hastings, a battle that completely changed the fate of England. 
Harold was killed by a wound in the eye from an arrow, and Wil- 
liam gained a complete victory. The result of this conflict threw the 
English into the utmost consternation. 




The people offering the throne to William. 

11. Some of the nobles assembled at London to deliberate on 
placing Edgar Atheling on the throne ; but before they had time to 
come to a decision, William the Conqueror was at the gates. The 
greater part of the nobles, with Edgar Atheling at their head, went 
forth to meet him, and offered him the vacant throne, which he, 
with a little pretended hesitation, accepted. He was crowned at 
Westminster, oh Christmas day, 1066, and thus was completed the 
Conquest of England, as it is called. 



TABLE OF THE SAXON KINGS OF ENGLAND. 



Began to reign 
827 
836 

857 



866 
871 
901 



Reigned. 

9 . . 

21 . . 

3 . . 
9 . . 



30 . 

24 . 



Echert. 

Elhelwolf, son of Egbert. 

Fthelbald ^ sons Ethelwolf, reigned jointly till the 

Ethelbert' J death °f Ethelwolf. Ethelbert "then be- 

' ( came sole king. 
Ethelred, son of Ethelwolf. 
Alfred, son of Ethelwolf. 
Edward the Elder, son of Alfred. 



When was the battle of Hastings fought? What was the result? 11. What did tha 
nobles do? When was William crowned? 
5* 



54 



WILLIAM THE CONQUEROR. 



"l«v{an to reign. Reigned. 



92E 
941 
948 
955 
959 
975 
979 
.016 



1017 
1035 
1039 



1041 
1066 



16 
7 
7 
4 

16 
4 

37 
1 



4 . 
2 . 



27 . 



Athelstan, } 
. Edmund, > sons of Edward. 
. Edred, ) 

• Jj^wy. I sons of Edward. 
. Edgar, $ 

. Edward the Martyr, ) BnnB n( - rM„„ 

. Ethelred the Unready, \ sons of Ed ^ r ' 

. Edmund Ironside, son of Ethelred. 

DANISH KINGS. 

. Canute the Great. 

. Harold Harefoot, ) _„_ „p r»o««t« 

. Hardicanute, ' J sons of Canute. 

SAXON LINE RESTORED. 

. Edward the Confessor, son of Ethelred. 

. Harold, son of Earl Godwin, usurped the throne, 
though Edgar Atheling, grandson of Edmund Iron- 
side, was the natural heir. 



CHAPTER XXVII. 



William L, surnamed the Conqueror. — The Saxon Nobles 



degraded. 




Crowning of William the Conqueror. 

I. William the Conqueror was of middle height, and stoutly 
made, with great strength of body. He had a stern countenance, 



XXVII. — I, 2. What is said of William the Conqueror? 3. What is said of his first 






THE SAXON NOBLES DEGRADED. 55 

and was a shrewd, clear-headed man. We can easily believe him to 
have been of a grave and thoughtful temper, for we cannot find th^t 
he ever indulged in any gayeties or amusements, except hunting, <-f 
which he was particularly fond. 

2. It is also said that he never admitted any one to intimacy or 
familiarity. He had a few favorites, and those were well chosen, 
which was a strong proof of his wisdom. He was considered reli- 
gious, being very exact in the performance of all religious observ- 
ances. He certainly showed great instances of generosity, but 
ambition was his ruling passion. 

3. William began his reign with so much prudence and modera- 
tion, that his new subjects thought they had great reason to be sat- 
isfied. But whilst he treated them with seeming confidence and 
friendship, he took care to place all real power in the hands of the 
Normans. He everywhere disarmed the Saxons. He built for- 
tresses in all the principal cities, and placed Norman soldiers in 
them. 

4. Still he professed the greatest regard for the rights and laws 
of his English subjects. By this mixture of lenity and rigor, he so 
subdued and quieted the minds of the people, that he ventured to 
visit his native country within six months after he left it. The chief 
of the English nobles accompanied him. 

5. These made a display of wealth and magnificence which quite 
astonished the foreigners. A Norman historian, who was present, 
speaks with admiration of the beauty of their persons, the costly 
workmanship of their silver plate, and the elegance of their embroi- 
deries : arts in which the English then excelled. 

6. It now became evident that the English were only kept in sub- 
jection through fear of the Conqueror. No sooner were they relieved 
from his presence, than they made an effort to regain their liberty. 
William hastened back to England, and, by his vigorous measures, 
disconcerted the plans of the rebels. 

7. Many years were passed in unavailing struggles on the part of 
the English to throw off the Norman yoke. The king, regarding 
them as inveterate enemies, endeavored to reduce them to a condition 
in which they should no longer be formidable to his government. 

8. The nobles were degraded from their rank, and stripped of the 
greater part of their possessions. The clergy were also deposed, and 
their places supplied by foreigners. Amongst the new comers was 
one at least worthy of being remembered. 

9. This was Lanfranc, an Italian, who was made archbishop of 
Canterbury, who, by his wisdom and prudence, and influence o v er 
the king, which he employed in moderating the violence of his tem- 
per, proved himself to be one of the best friends of the poor dejected 
English. 

10. During these troubles, Edgar Atheling had taken refuge 
with Malcolm, King of Scotland, who married Margaret, one of his 

measures? 4, 5. What of the English nobles? 6. What did the English do in his 

absence? What did William do? ~7. How did William treat ', he English ? 8. What of 
the nobles? What of the clersry? 9. What is said of Lanfranc? 10. What became 



56 



GAME LAWS ESTABLISHED. 



sisters, and warmly espoused the cause of the Anglo-Saxons. He 
marched into England with an army, but William soon obliged him 
to retreat. 

11. In 1071, Malcolm being about to make a second attempt to 
place Edgar on the throne of England, William marched against him 
with a large force. The two armies met on the borders of Scotland, 
and a battle was about to ensue, when the two kings made peace 
with one another. 

12. One of the conditions was that Edgar should be given up to 
William, who promised, if he would renounce all claim to the throne 
of England, to give him a mark a day — a little more than three 
dollars — which was considered a very handsome allowance in those 
days. Edgar assented to these terms, and both he and William 
remained true to their agreement. 



CHAPTER XXVIII. 



Game Laws established. — Rebellion of Robert. — He is besieged 
by his Father. — Interesting Incident during the Siege. — 
The Domes-day Book. — Death of William I. 




Fight between Robert and his father. 

1. We have already stated that William was very fond of hunt- 
ing. He made many very severe laws against those who interfered 
with his favorite amusement. A person who killed a deer or a boar, 



of Edgar Atheling? Who did Malcolm marry ? 11. What was the result of Malcolm's 

second attempt ? 

, XXVIII. — 1. What laws did William make ? 2. What of the New Forest ? 3. What 



REBELLION OF ROBERT. 57 

or even a hare, was punished much more severely than one who killed 
a man. 

2. Not content with the forge forests which the former kings had 
possessed, he drove the inhabitants of more than thirty villages from 
their homes, and reserved this large district as a habitation for wild 
beasts, calling it the New Forest. 

3. This king enjoyed but little repose. First a conspiracy among 
his Norman nobles threatened his life, and afterwards the rebellion of 
his eldest son, Robert, kept his Norman dominions for many years in 
a state of disturbance. This prince had long been jealous of the 
king's affection for his two younger brothers, but a trifling incident 
caused him to rise in open rebellion. 

4. The three princes, with their father, who happened to be in Nor- 
mandy, were residing at a certain castle. One day, as Robert was 
passing through the court-yard, after having been frolicking with his 
younger brothers, they sportively threw some water upon him, from 
the window. 

5. Robert would have taken it as a continuance of the fun, but for 
the evil suggestions of one of his attendants, who had personal 
grounds of offence with the younger princes and their father. He 
persuaded Robert that it was intended as a public insult, which he 
ought to resent. 

6. The passionate youth, drawing his sword, rushed up stairs, de- 
termined to be revenged on his brothers. The whole castle was filled 
with tumult, which the king himself could hardly appease. Robert 
having received, as he thought, no atonement for the insult, left the 
castle that very night, and openly declared war against his father. 

7. Robert was very popular among the Normans, and thev joined 
his standard in great numbers. But after a hard struggle, he was 
driven out of Normandy, and took refuge in Serberoy, a small cas- 
tle belonging to the King of France, to which William immediately 
laid siege. 

8. The garrison sallied out, headed by Prince Robert, who selected 
for his antagonist a knight who appeared in front of the besiegers, 
in complete armor, and having his face covered with the visor of his 
helmet. The furious assault of the prince overthrew his antagonist, 
horse and man. His lance was already at the throat of the fallen 
knight to take away his life, when, by the voice, he discovered that 
he was about to kill his own father. 

9. His remorse and horror at the thought that he was near being 
guilty of so fearful an act, subdued in a moment his rebellious feel- 
ings. Springing from his horse, he threw himself upon his knees 
in an agony of grief, and begged forgiveness for his offences, offer- 
ing to make any atonement. 

10. William was too angry to forgive him ; after reproaching him 
bitterly, he departed for his own camp, on Robert's horse, which that, 
prince assisted him to mount. It was a long time before he would 
listen to Robert's contrite entreaties. At last, Queen Matilda, 

caused disturbance to the king? 4,5,6. Relate the incident that was the immediate 
cause of the rebellion. 7. "What was the result of the war'/ 8, 9, 10. Relate the occur 



58 STATE OF ENGLAND AFTER THE NORMAN CONQUES'i. 

who was a very good and pious woman, prevailed with the King to 
pardon his son. 

11. William had now a little leisure, of which he took advantage 
to have a survey made of his English kingdom. The record of this 
survey was made in a book called Domes-day Book, which is yet 
preserved in the Tower ; and all possessors of estates who are curious 
to know to whom their land belonged at the Conquest, whether it 
was ploughed land or pasture, what was then its value, and, in some 
cases, what cattle it was stocked with, may there get information ot 
all these matters. 

12. One would have thought that, after all his turmoils, William 
would have been glad to have passed the latter part of his life in 
repose ; but, on the contrary, upon some trifling quarrel with Philip 
I. of France, he led an army into that country, destroying and laying 
waste everything that came in his way ; every town or village through 
which he passed was reduced to ashes. 

13. This cruelty brought on him its own punishment ; fox, after 
burning the town of Mantes, his horse, flinching from the smoking 
ashes, made a violent plunge, and the king, being very corpulent, got 
a bruise which caused his death on the 9th of September, 1087. He 
was in the sixty-third year of his age, and had reigned twenty-one 
years in England. 



CHAPTER XXIX. 

State of England after the Norman Conquest. — The English 

Language. 

1. It may be useful to pause and contemplate the state of Eng- 
'aid after the Normans had established their power. The highest 
in rank after the king were the Norman barons, who were made rich 
and powerful by the spoils of the Anglo-Saxon nobles. The next 
elass was composed of Norman soldiers, who had helped to achieve 
the conquest, and who settled as tenants on the lands that had been 
piven to their leaders. 

2. With this class gradually became blended the old Anglo-Saxon 
ihanes, or nobles, and also the Anglo-Saxon ceorls, or farmers, who, 
if they had never taken up arms against the Conqueror, were allowed, 
m putting themselves under the protection of some Norman baron, 
to live unmolested. 

3. It was not till long after William and his followers were all 
dead and gone, that the descendants of the two nations could endure 
each other ; the Normans holding in contempt the stupid, ignorant 
Saxons, and the Saxons detesting their tyrannical oppressors. 

rence that led to the submission of Robert? 11. What is the Domes-day Book ? 12 
What new war did "William engage in? 13. What caused his death? When did he 
die ?_ What was his age? 13. What the length of his reign ? 

XXIX. — 1. How was the land distributed after the conquest? 2. What was the con 
dition of the Saxon nobles and farmers ? 3. What feelings existed between the Norniaiw 



THE FEUDAL SYSTEM. 59 

4. The lowest rank of the people had few, if any, rights of their 
own. There were some free laborers who worked for hire, as men 
do now ; but the great proportion of the lower class were slaves. 
In towns there was another class of people, called Burghers. These 
were merchants, or tradesmen, who joined together in little societies ; 
but. in the time of William I. they were not a numerous, or at least 
not a powerful body. 

5. As a part of his plan for reducing the Anglo-Saxons to com- 
plete subjection, William used every means to introduce the Norman 
or French language into England, and to eradicate that of the Anglo- 
Saxons. He altered many of the old Saxon laws, and established 
new ones in their stead, which were all written in Norman French ; 
and he ordered that law r business should be carried on in that lan- 
guage. 

6. He also required that French instead of Saxon should be taught 
in the schools. But it is easier to conquer a kingdom than to change 
a language ; and after an ineffectual struggle, which lasted three 
centuries, the Saxon got the better at last, and, with some intermix- 
ture of Norman, forms the basis of our own language. 

7. Even the Norman words we retain are often so altered by our 
way of pronouncing them that a Frenchman would not recognize 
them. Thus many people are sadly puzzled to find any meaning in 
the words " O yes," with which the crier of our courts commences 
his proclamations ; for they do not know that the crier's O yes is a 
corruption of the old Norman word " Oyez " — " Hear ye." 



CHAPTER XXX. 

The Feudal System. — Description of a Nor/nan Castle. 

1. The lands which William took from the Anglo-Saxons, he 
bestowed on his Norman barons, upon condition that they should 
always be ready to attend him in battle. They were called the 
king's vassals. The barons distributed their lands among their own 
followers on the same condition, and thus these became the vassals of 
the barons. These again had others under them, who held them on 
the like terms. 

2. Thus, whenever the baron marched to war, his vassals marched 
with him. This sort of bond between the king and his barons, and 
the barons and their retainers, was called the Feudal System. It had 
its origin upon the continent, and had been long established in France, 
before William introduced it into Britain. 

3. The barons lived like so many little kings, each in his own 
castle, with his train of followers, who bore pompous titles, similar 
to those of the officers of the royal court. This haughty seclusion 

ami Saxons? 4. What of the lowest class of people ? Who were tlie Burghers ? 5,6. 
What did William do in reference to t lie language? With what ultimate success? 

XXX. — 1. How were the. lands of Britain distributed ? 2. What was the system of 
holding lands called? 3. How did the barons live? 4. What difference between the 



60 



DESCRIPTION OF A NORMAN CASTLE. 



gave great offence to the Saxon nobles, who were remarkably social 
and convivial in their habits. 




A Norman tattle,. 

4. They did not care for the shabbiness of their own dwellings, 
which were only built of wood, and thatched, if they could but eat 
and drink, and have merry-makings ; while the Normans, on the 
contrary, were frugal in their manner of living, but very costly in 
their buildings. 

5. These, however, were comfortless, gloomy dwellings. In order 
to convey an idea of an ancient castle of this period, we may describe 
that of Rochester in England, which, though a mere ruin, is one of 
the most perfect now remaining. There is a lofty tower, standing in 
a garden, surrounded on all sides by high walls, or at least the re- 
mains of high walls. 

6. The tower was called the keep, in which the baron and his 
family lived, and in which all the stores and arms and valuable things 
were kept. Under the keep was the dungeon for prisoners. The 
chapel also stood in this enclosure, the whole of which was called 
the inner bailey. In one corner of the walls is a little ruinous tower, 
through which there is an entrance. 

7. Without this garden is another enclosure, taking a larger cir- 
cuit which may still be traced by the remains of thick solid walls, 
with towers at different distances. The space between the outer 
and inner walls was called the outer bailey, and here were the lodg- 
ings for the soldiers, the stables, and the workshops of the black- 
smiths, carpenters, and other artificers. 



Normans and Saxons? 5, 6. 7. 8, 9. Give an account of a castle. What was the keep ? 
What the inner bailey ? What the outer bailey 1 What the postern ? 



"WILLIAM RUFUS. 61 

8. There was generally a small and concealed entrance to the 
castle, by which the lord might go secretly in and out. This was 
called the postern. Rochester castle is now but the shell of a build- 
ing, so that we can only conjecture that the two rooms in the cen- 
tre part, which have ornamented fireplaces, and pillars on the walls, 
were the state apartments ; and that the sleeping rooms were the 
little dark recesses, which are to be seen as you go up the winding 
stairs that lead to the battlements. 

9. These rooms of state were in the third story, and have great 
widows, which, however, were placed high in the lofty apartments, 
to secure the occupants against weapons discharged from without. 
The two lower stories had no windows, but were lighted merely by 
loop-holes. Such was a Norman castle of the twelfth century. 



CHAPTER XXXI. 

Williai Rufus. — Quarrels between the Sons of William the 
Conqueror. — Instances of their Generosity. 

1. "William the Conqueror left three sons. To Robert, the eld- 
est, he devised Normandy ; the crown of England he gave to Wil- 
liam, and to the third, named Henry, he left the fortune of his 
mother, Matilda. 

2. William was twenty-seven years old when he became king. 
He resembled his father in the sternness of his countenance, as well 
as in his great bodily strength and activity. His hair was red, on 
which account he obtained the surname of Rufus. He stammered in 
his speech, especially when he was angry, which, if historians are to 
be believed, was very often. 

3. He was brave in war, but had not any of the great or good 
qualities of his father ; for he was irreligious, and a lover of low 
company and deep drinking. He was very passionate, and had no 
principles, either of honor or honesty. 

4. His father was scarcely dead, when he set out for England, to 
secure the inheritance which was left him, and to seize upon the 
royal treasures. The Anglo-Norman barons were very sorry to have 
him become king, and engaged in a rebellion, to place his elder broth- 
er, Robert, on the throne. 

5. William Rufus now found it convenient to make friends with 
the Anglo-Saxons, and he promised to restore many of their rights 
and privileges. By their help he speedily subdued the rebellion of 
the barons, but he never remembered to fulfil his fair pledges to those 
who had aided him. 

6. William and Robert never agreed but upon one occasion, and 
then they joined to oppress Henry. His inheritance had been 

XXXI. — 1. How did the Conqueror dispose of his dominions? 2, 3. What is said of 
William? Why called Rufus? 4,5. By whose assistance did he put down the rebel- 
lion of the barons ? 6, 7, 8. On what occasion did Robert and William agree ? Relate 
6 



62 ABOUT THE CRUSADES. 

left to him in money. Robert, who was very extravagant, had beer. 
glad to sell a part of Normandy to him, and now, in concert with 
William, sought to deprive him of it. 

7. Henry would not tamely give it up, and, with a small number 
of men, retired to a strong castle, called St. Michael's Mount, where 
he was closely besieged by the united forces of his brothers. He was 
nearly reduced by the scarcity of water, when Robert, hearing of his 
distress, granted him permission to supply himself, and also sent him 
some barrels of wine for his own use. 

8. Being reproved by William for this generosity, Robert replied, 
" What, shall I suffer my brother to die of thirst? Where shall we 
find another when he is gone ?" The king also performed an act of 
generosity, which, from his character, was not to be expected of him 

9. Riding out alone one day to take a survey of the fortress, h« 
was attacked by two soldiers, and thrown from his horse. One of 
them drew his sword, and was about to kill him, when the king ex- 
claimed, " Hold, knave ! I am the King of England." The soldier 
suspended his blow, and raised the king from the ground with many 
expressions of respect. For his forbearance, the man received a 
handsome reward, and was taken into the king's service. 

10. Henry was soon after obliged to surrender, and having thus 
lost everything, he, with a few faithful followers, who would not for- 
sake him in his distress, wandered from place to place, often in want 
of food, and always without a home. 



CHAPTER XXXII. 

The Crusades. 

1. It had long been considered an act of great piety to make a 
pilgrimage to Jerusalem, to visit our Saviour's sepulchre. At the 
decline of the Roman power, Jerusalem had fallen into the hands of 
the Saracens, who were not only the bravest, but also the most civ- 
ilized people of Asia, at least of those who had intercourse with 
Europe. 

2. While the Saracens remained masters of the Holy City, the 
Christian pilgrims were permitted to pay their devotions unmolested. 
About the year 1065, the Turks, who were at that time a very igno- 
rant and brutal people, became masters of Jerusalem, and treated 
the pilgrims with great cruelty, and endeavored to prevent their visit- 
ing the sepulchre. 

3. One of these pilgrims, called Peter the Hermit, though only 
a poor priest, made himself more famous than the most powerful 
king of his time. On his return from the Holy Land, inflamed by 
religious zeal, and by resentment against the Turks, he went about 

the instance of Robert's generosity. 9. What of the king? 10. What became of 
Henry ? 

XXXII. — 1. What is said of pilgrimages 1 When did the Turks take Jerusalem ? 
Vi hat was the consequence ? 3. What did Peter the Hermit do ? 4. What inducements 



ABOUT THE CRUSADES. 



63 



from country to country, exhorting the princes and nobles to go and 
fight the pagans, and drive them from Jerusalem. 




Fight between the Crusaders and Turks. 

4. The pope entered warmly into the cause. He promised a com 
plete forgiveness of their sins, however enormous they might be, to 
all such as should go on this holy expedition. Various temporal 
advantages were offered as inducements. Those who had borrowed 
money were to pay no interest for it during the time they were absent, 
and the poor debtor was discharged from all his debts by assuming the 
cross, as it was called. 

5. Every person who engaged in the enterprise had a piece of red 
cloth in the form of a cross sewed upon the left shoulder of his cloak. 
Hence it was called a crusade, and those who engaged in it were called 
crusaders. 

6. The French entered most zealously into the cause, and we must 
refer the reader to the history of that country for a full account of the 
seven great expeditions which left Europe to fight against the Infidels, 
in the whole of which, the French acted a leading part. We will not 
burthen our present history by a repetition of the whole details, but 
in the following chapters shall only speak of those in which the Eng- 
lish were conspicuous. 

7. It may be necessary to remind the reader that the Crusaders 
took the city of Jerusalem, and retained possession of it for about one : 
hundred years, when it was re-conquered by Saladin, a distinguished 
king and general of the Saracens. 

8. The rage for crusading continued from the time of Peter the 
Hermit, in 1096, till 1291, a period of nearly two hundred years: 
during which Europe was drained of her wealth, and many millions 
of lives were sacrificed, without accomplishing the proposed object. 

wore held out by the pope? 5. Whence the name crusade, and crusaders? 7. How 
long did Jerusalem remain in the power of the Christians? Who took it from them 1 



64 WILLIAM EUFUS. 

9. But still some good arose out of all the evil. The Saracens 
were very superior to the Europeans in their knowledge of the sci- 
ences, such as mathematics, astronomy, chemistry, &c, and also in 
many of the arts and elegancies of life. Much of this learning was 
brought home by the crusaders. The Europeans have been improv- 
ing, and gaining knowledge ever since ; but the Turks, and all the 
people of the East, have either stood still or gone backward. 

10. There are some travels in the East written about the year 1440, 
by De Brocquiere, grand carver to the Duke of Burgundy, and you 
might suppose them written only last year ; the manners of the peo- 
ple, as he describes them, being in every particular precisely the 
same as they are now said to be by travellers of our own time. 



x CHAPTER XXXIII. 
"William obtains large Territories by Mortgage. — His Death. 




Death of William Ritfus. 

1. As might have been expected from his character, Robert of 
Normandy engaged most zealously in the Holy War. To procure 
money for the expedition, he lent or mortgaged his territories for five 
years to his brother William, for a very large sum. 

2. William raised the money, though not without some difficulty, 
and then, very much delighted with his bargain, took possession of 
Normandy. He did not find it a very quiet dominion; for it in- 

8 \ ^7 long did lhe rage of crusadin §' last? 9. What good resulted from them? 
l'l. What of the manners of the people of the East? 
XXXIII. — 1. How did Robert raise money for the crusades ? 3. Who else mortgaged 



DEATH OF WILLIAM RUFUS. 65 

volved him in continual wars with the King of France, in which 
sometimes the French, and sometimes the Normans, had the advan- 
tage. 

3. The Duke of Guienne also proposed to mortgage all his domin- 
ions to William, who accepted the offer. But before he could take 
possession, all his plans of ambition were brought to a sudden end. 
Whilst he was waiting for a fair wind to sail for France, he used to 
amuse himself by hunting in the New Forest. 

4. One day, as he sat at dinner, six arrows, very long and sharp, 
were brought to him. Keeping four himself, he gave the other two 
to Sir Walter Tyrrel, a Norman knight, saying, " Here, Tyrrel, take 
your two, for you know well how to use them." 

5. After dinner they started off together for the forest. Anxious 
to show his dexterity, Tyrrel let fly an arrow at a stag which sud- 
denly started before him ; the arrow hit a tree, glanced and struck the 
king on the breast, and he instantly expired. 

6. Tyrrel did not stop to tell anybody of the accident, but putting 
spurs to his horse, hastened to the sea-coast, and embarked for 
France, where he joined the crusaders in the expedition to Jerusalem, 
as a penance for his involuntary crime. 

7. The body of the king was found by some laborers, and carried 
in a coal cart to Winchester, where it was buried the next day with- 
out pomp. The death of William occurred in the year 1100, in the 
fortieth year of his age, and the thirteenth of his reign. He was 
never married. 

8. There is one memorial of William II., which is still an object 
of admiration. This is Westminster Hall, in London, which he built ; 
it is a noble structure, and contains one of the largest rooms in 
Europe. He also built the Tower of London, or rather he enlarged 
and strengthened a small fortress, which had been erected by the Con- 
queror, to keep the citizens in good order. 

9. The Tower has been the scene of many memorable events. It 
has always been used as a prison for the confinement of persons 
accused of offences against the state, such as rebels, and others, who 
in any way attempt to disturb or interrupt the government. But it 
has in modern times been much more interesting to most persons, as 
the place in which the king's menagerie, or collection of lions, tigers, 
and other wild animals, has been kept. 

10. We ought to mention as one of the remarkable occurrences of 
this reign, that the Norwegians made an incursion into England in 
1098. This was the last attempt on that country by any of the north- 
ern nations. Those restless people learned about this period the art 
of tillage, which provided them with food, and gave them occupation 
at home ; this freed the rest of Europe from their piratical invasions. 

their territories to William? 4, 5, 6. Relate the particulars of William's death. 7, 
When did it happen? How old was he ? How long had he reigned ? 8. What memo 
rial of William remains? What of the Tower of London? 10. What of the incursion 
of the Norwegians? 

5 



66 HENRY I. USURPS THE CROWN. 



CHAPTER XXXIV. 

Henry I., surnamed Beauclerc, usurps the Crown. — Dispute 
between the Pope and the King. — Ans elm, Archbishop of 
Canterbury, preaches against certain Fashions of Dress. 

1. The news of the king's death soon reached the rest of the royal 
hunting party, who, in the pursuit of game, had become separated 
from their master. Henry, the conqueror's youngest son, was one of 
these, and, instead of showing any concern at his brother's death, or 
even waiting to see his body borne away from the spot where it fell, 
he put spurs to his horse, and rode directly to Winchester, where he 
seized on the royal treasure. 

2. He then hastened to London ; and, by great gifts, and many 
promises, disposed the people so much in his favor, that within three 
days after his brother's death, he was crowned king, in violation of 
the right of his brother Robert, who had not yet returned from the 
Holy Land. 

3. Henry was of middle height, and well made ; he had an agree- 
able countenance; his hair was brown, and very thick and bushy. 
He had received what was considered in those days a learned educa- 
tion, and from having performed the great work of translating Esop's 
Fables, he acquired the surname of Beauclerc, or the Good Scholar. 

4. His character was made up of an extraordinary mixture of 
good and bad qualities. He was brave, eloquent, and extremely 
pleasing in his manners ; he governed the kingdom with so much wis- 
dom, and caused justice to be administered with so much impartiality, 
that, in spite of his ambition, his avarice, and his wicked conduct to 
his brother Robert, and that brother's son, William, the English 
esteem him as among the best of their kings. 

5. The Normans would naturally support the claim of Robert to 
the crown of England ; as a matter of policy, therefore, Henry courted 
the favor of his Anglo-Saxon subjects. He granted them a charter 
of privileges, or, more properly speaking, he restored Edward the 
Confessor's code of laws, to which that people were much attached. 

6. He tried to conciliate the church by recalling Anselm, Arch- 
bishop of Canterbury, who had been banished by William II., for re- 
fusing to admit the king's authority to invest him with some of the 
rights of the archbishopric, he considering that authority to belong 
exclusively to the pope. 

7. Before bishops took possession of their dignities, there hau 
formerly been two ceremonies performed ; they received from the 
hands of the sovereign a ring and a crosier— which was orignally 
a staff, like a shepherd's crook, having the head bent — as symbols 

XXXIV. — 1. What did Henry do, when he heard of his brother's death? 2. What 
was his success? Who was the riahtful heir to the crown? 3. What is said of Henry 
J.? What was he surnamed ? Why? 4. What of his character ? 5. What course did 
Henry pursue from policy ? 6. What dispute had arisen between the king and the 



ABOUT THE CLERGY. — 1100. 67 

of their office, or spiritual power; and this was called the investi* 
ture. 

8. But as they also held great possessions in land, they made those 
promises and submissions to the king which were required of vassals 
by the feudal law, and this was called doing homage. In obedience 
to orders from the pope, the priests, not only in England, but in all 
countries where the Roman Catholic religion prevailed, that is in 
nearly all Christian countries, refused either to receive investiture 
from the sovereign, or to do homage to him. 

9. The sovereigns stoutly resisted this claim ; hut such was the 
influence of the church over the minds of the superstitious people, that 
upon the continent of Europe the pope prevailed to the full extent of 
his claim. Henry was glad to make a compromise ; he resigned the 
right of granting investiture, but was allowed to retain the homage. 

10. We have before told you that the clergy were divided into two 
parties ; the monks, or regular clergy, and the secular clergy. Though 
the monks prevailed and obtained all the dignities of the churches, the 
secular clergy still exercised the duties of parish priests in the villages. 

11. It will be recollected that the monks were not allowed to 
marry. Having no domestic ties to excite and keep alive their kindly 
feelings, many of them became hard, unfeeling bigots. Anselm was 
a monk, and seems to have been wanting in common humanity ; for by 
his influence a law was made, obliging such of the secular prients as 
were married to put away their wives, and forbidding them ever to 
see them again, or to suffer them to live on any lands belonging to the 
church, on pain of seeing them reduced to slavery, or otherwise 
severely punished. 

12. Anselm not only conducted arbitrarily in the affairs of the 
church, but he troubled himself about the dress of the laity. He 
preached so furiously, and so successfully against long hair, and curls, 
which he disapproved of, that the ladies absolutely cut off their locks 
in the church. 

13. He was not so successful in the attacks he made on the fash- 
ionable shoes of the gentlemen ; for, notwithstanding his threatenings 
and exhortations, they continued to wear them so enormously long, 
that they were obliged to support them by a chain from the end of the 
toe fastened to the knee. » 

pope? 7. "Whit was investiture? 8. What was homage? What did the pope order in 
relation to these 1 9. How was the dispute settled in England ? 10. What of the clergy ? 
11. What law did Anselm procure to be passed? 12, i3. What fashions in dress did 
Anselm preach against? V/ith what success? 



68 MORE ABOUT HENRY. - 1106. 

CHAPTER XXXV. 

More about Henry.— Edgar Atheling.— Death of Duke Robert. 

1. To endear himself yet more to his Anglo-Saxon subjects, 
Henry married Matilda, daughter of Malcolm, King of Scotland, and 
niece of Edgar Atheling, and therefore of the Anglo-Saxon royal 
family. 

2. In the mean time, Robert had returned from the Holy Land, 
and resumed possession of Normandy. Without any delay he com- 
menced his preparations for invading England, and asserting his right 
to the crown. He landed with his army at Portsmouth, on the 19th 
of July, 1101. 

3. Henry now found the benefit of his conciliatory conduct towards 
the English, who remained true to him, while the Normans chiefly 
took part with Robert, against whom Henry marched with a power- 
ful force. The two armies remained within sight of each other for 
several days without coming to an engagement. 

4. This gave Anselm and some of the barons who were desirous 
of peace, an opportunity of concluding a treaty between the tw r o 
princes, in which it was agreed that Robert should renounce his pre- 
tensions to the crown of England, in consideration of Henry granting 
him a pension, and promising to restore those Normans who had 
joined him, to their honors and estates in England. 

5. No sooner had Robert returned to Normandy, than Henry, 
totally regardless of his promise, deprived of their offices and posses- 
sions all those barons who had taken his brother's part. When 
Robert heard this, he returned to England and remonstrated with 
Henry on this breach of faith ; but he soon found, that instead of ben- 
efiting his friends, he was endangering himself by staying in Eng- 
land ; and he only escaped in safety by giving up his pension. 

6. In 1106, Henry invaded Normandy, and in a battle fought on 
the 28th of September, he took Robert prisoner, and many of his 
nobles, among whom was Edgar Atheling. Edgar, however, was 
not considered a formidable enemy, and was soon set at liberty. His 
Saxon blood and his mild disposition made him a favorite with the 
English ; whilst the weakness of his character rendered him too insig- 
nificant to be feared by the Normans. 

7. From this time till his death, which was not till he was very 
old, he lived quietly in England, and probably far more happily than 
any of those who were wearing that crown, to which, by birth, he 
had the best right. 

8. Robert's fate was not so happy ; he was brought prisoner to 
England ; and his cruel and unrelenting brother kept him in confine- 
ment till his death, twenty-eight years afterwards. The circum- 
stances which attended this event are thus related : 



^. u • Whom did Henr y m arry ? 2. "What did Robert do ? 4. How were Henrv 

and hobert reconciled? 5. How did Henrv keep his promises? 6, 7. What of Edaa'r 
Atheling? 9, 10. Relate the particulars of Robert's death. 



MELANCHOLY CONDITION OF HENRY. — 1106. 69 

91 " King Henry, on a festival day, putting on a new scarlet cloak, 
the hood, being too small, was torn in putting it over his head. On 
which the king said, ' My brother Robert has a smaller head than I 
have ; let him have this garment. ' The cloak was accordingly sent 
to the duke. 

10. " The torn place not having been sewed up, he discovered it 
and asked, ' If any one had worn it before ? ' And being told the cir- 
cumstance, he considered it as a deep affront, and exclaimed, ' Now I 
perceive that I have lived too long, since my brother clothes me like 
an almsman in his cast rent garments.' He then refused to take food, 
and died in consequence." 



CHAPTER XXXVI. 

Melancholy Condition of the King. — Attempts to seize the 
person of his Nephew. — Hoio the young Prince is saved. — 
King Henry has many Enemies. 

1. After the capture of Duke Robert, the whole of Normandy 
submitted to Henry. Hitherto everything seemed to have prospered 
with him ; but we should be much mistaken if we supposed him to 
be happy. From this time he never knew what happiness was. 
Remorse for his conduct towards his brother preyed unceasingly on 
his mind. 

2. He in vain endeavored to stifle it by founding monasteries and 
building churches. Though groaning under the burden of one crime, 
he was yet meditating the commission of another, that of destroying 
his brother's son, William, a child of ten years old ; whose rightful 
claims kept him in continual dread, and prevented all enjoyment of 
what he had so unjustly acquired. 

3. He therefore sent one of his servants into France to seize on the 
young prince ; but by the vigilance and fidelity of the people who were 
left in charge of him, the child was carried to a place of safety. Henry, 
enraged at this disappointment, deprived the guardian of the prince of 
all his estates, and his personal safety was only secured by flight. 

4. The faithful Helie de St. Leon, for this was his name, having 
no longer a home of his own, wandered about from court to court, 
claiming protection for his royal charge, who was everywhere pitied 
for his rnisfortunes, and admired for his many virtues, as well as for 
the beauty of his person. 

5. The Earl of Angier engaged to assist him, and promised him 
his daughter Sybilla in marriage ; but Henry no sooner heard that his 
nephew had gained so powerful a friend, than he resolved to prevent 
the intended match, and offered his own son William in marriage to 
Matilda, another daughter of the earl. 

XXXVI. — 1. What were the feelings of Henry ? 2. What new crime did he meditate? 
3. Did he effect his intention? 4. Who was the guardian of Robert's son? What is 
said of the son of Kobert 1 5 How did Henry prevent his marriage ? 6. Where did the 



70 BATTLE OF BRENNEVILLE. — 1118 TO 1120. 

6. The earl found the temptation so strong that he broke off the 
contract with William, the son of Robert, and concluded one with 
William, the son of Henry. The unfortunate prince, still attended 
by Helie, then retired to the court of Flanders, where the earl received 
them with great kindness. 

7. Henry probably showed some disinclination to fulfil his agree- 
ment for the marriage of his son ; for in 1118 we find the Duke of 
Anjou united with Louis, King of France, and the Earl of Flanders, 
against him. They were joined by many Norman barons. 

8. Henry, surrounded by enemies, both secret and declared, knew 
not whom to trust, nor whom to fear. He slept in armor, and with 
a guard watching in his apartment. Nevertheless, his prudence and 
vigilance did not forsake him. He contrived to regain the favor of 
Norman barons, and detached the Duke of Anjou from the alliance 
bv solemnizing the proposed marriage. 



CHAPTER XXXVII. 

Battle of Brenneville. — Ancient Armor. 

1. The King of France, and those associated with him, met the 
army of Henry in the plains of Brenneville, not far from Rouen. A 
fierce battle ensued, in which the English were victorious. It is 
remarkable for having cost the lives of only three knights, although 
an unusually large number were engaged in it. This was owing to 
their being clad in complete armor, and to the desire which each party 
felt to take prisoners, rather than to take life. 

2. The ransom, that is, the sum of money received from prisoners 
for their restoration to liberty, formed an important part of the reve- 
nues of the fighting men at this period. 

3. The use of armor by the English was comparatively a new thing. 
The Saxons and Danes had no other defence than a shield and a hel- 
met, till a little before the time of the Conquest, when the nobles 
adopted armor, something like that of the Normans. 

4. This consisted of a whole dress of little rings of iron, linked 
together so ingeniously, like net-work, that it fitted close to the limbs 
and body, and was, at the same time, as flexible as a stocking. Under 
this they wore a dress called a gambeson, which we suppose to have 
been like a shirt without sleeves or collar, and quilted or stuffed with 
wool. 

5. Sometimes the gambeson was worn over the hauberk, or coat of 
mail, as the chain armor was called. But it. seems that this kind of 
armor was not found to be sufficient defence against the point of a 



prince eo from Anjou? 7. What league was formed against Henry? 8. What did 
Henry do? 

XXXVII —1. Where did the hostile armies meet? What was the result of the battle? 
Why were so few lives lost? 3. What is said of the use of armor by the English ? 4. 5, 
What was the hauberk ? What the gambeson 1 What new kind of armor was intra 



ANCIENT ARMOR. — 1120. 71 

spear or arrow ; for in the fourteenth century, plate armor was intro- 
duced, so called from being made of plates of iron. 

6. These were often so heavy, that when a knight in this armo 14 
ivas overthrown, he lay on the ground immovable till he was helped 
up ; and there were many instances, in hot weather, and in the press 
of battle, of persons being suffocated with the heat and weight of their 
armor. 

7. In an engagement between the French and Italians, in 1405, 
some Italian knights, who were overthrown, lay like huge lobsters, 
and could not be killed till their armor was broken by the French sol- 
diers with wood-cutters' axes. There was also an intermediate kind 
of armor, called scale armor, formed of little pieces of iron laid one 
over another, like the scales of a fish ; but this does not appear to 
have been long in use. 

8. At first the hauberk, though it covered the head like a hood, 
left the face quite exposed, except that it was sometimes guarded by 
a nasal, a part of the cap which projected over the nose. But by 
degrees they covered the face more and more, till at length close visors 
were adopted. This armor was a pretty sure defence against the 
weapons then in use, for gunpowder was not invented till long after 
the time of Henry I. 

9. The knights fought with lances, spears, and swords ; and the 
common soldiers with slings and bows, in the use of which the English 
excelled all other nations. The French were more active, but the 
English had more bodily strength. Besides these arms, various kinds 
of machines were used for throwing 1 darts and stones to a great distance. 



CHAPTER XXXVIII. 

Melancholy Death of Prince William, and a large number 
of the young Nobles. 

1. Henry had adopted every means which his prudence and wis- 
dom could suggest to secure to his son the succession to the crown. 
He required all his earls and barons to swear fealty to him, that is, to 
acknowledge him as their lord, and to maintain his right to the throne 
with fidelity. He also spent much time in Normandy, seeking to gain 
the good will of the nobles. 

2. But how useless was all this anxiety ! This beloved son, for 
whose aggrandizement he had done and sacrificed so much, was sud- 
denly snatched from him. When the king arrived at Harfleur, on 
his way back to England from a visit to Normandy, in 1120, he was 
accosted by a man, who claimed the right of carrying the kings of 

duced in the fourteenth century ? 6,7 What is said of the plate armor? Whatofscal<» 
armor? 8. How was the face protected ? 9. What were the otFensive weapons at this 
period ? 
XXXVIII. — 1. For what was Henry very anxious ? How did he try to secure his ob- 



72 



MELANCHOLY DEATH OF PRINCE WILLIAM. — 1 120. 



England across the seas, by virtue of a promise of William the Con 
queror to his father. 




Prince William and his sister. 

3. This promise had been made as a reward for the father's ser- 
vices in carrying William over to England when he went to the Con- 
quest. Henry was in haste to reach England, and could not alter the 
arrangements already made. Not to disappoint the man who had 
caused a vessel to be gallantly equipped in a style worthy the occa- 
sion, he told him that his son should embark in it. 

4. Accordingly the young prince, with a large number of the young 
nobles, and many ladies of rank, went on board the white ship. The 
prince had ordered some wine to be given to the crew, of which they 
drank so freely that many were intoxicated. The rest of the fleet had 
sailed before them, and the captain, crowding all sail, and plying all 
his oars to overtake them, the vessel suddenly struck upon a rock. 

5. A boat was immediately let down, into which the young prince 
and some of his attendants were hurried ; and they might have reached 
the shore in safety, had not the prince insisted on going back to rescue 
his sister. On board the vessel all was terror and confusion ; as soon 
as the boat approached, so many persons jumped into it, that it in- 
stantly sank, and every creature in it perished. 

6. Of three hundred persons on board the vessel, only one escaped. 



ect } 2. What led to Prince William's embarking in the white ship ? 4, 5. Relate the 



DEATH OF WILLIAM OF NORMANDY. — 1126. 73 

This was a butcher of Rouen, who, by clinging to a mast, contrived 
to keep his head above water till the next morning, when he was 
picked up by some fishermen. The captain had also clung to the 
same mast, but when the butcher told him that the prince had per- 
ished, he let go his hold and was drowned. 

7. The news of this misfortune reached England the next day ; 
but it was three days before any one had courage to tell the king of it. 
At last a boy was instructed to fall at his feet, and tell him that the 
white ship was lost, with all on board. Henry immediately fainted 
away. It was a long time, before the violence of his grief abated, and 
he never was seen to smile again. 

8. England would probably have found a tyrant in Prince William, 
had he lived to come to the throne ; for he hated the English, and had 
been heard to threaten that, when he should be king, he would make 
them draw the plough, and turn them into beasts of burden. 



CHAPTER XXXIX. 

Matilda, daughter of Henry, marries Geoffrey Plantagenet. 
— Death of Henry I. — Stephen usurps the Crown. 

1. Henry had now only one child left, and that one a daughter, 
Matilda, who was married to Henry V., Emperor of Germany, and 
she had no children. This state of things encouraged the friends of 
William of Normandy to make fresh attempts in his favor ; but they 
were not attended with any success. 

2. William, having married a sister of the Queen of France, received 
a small territory as her dowry, and thus at last became possessed of a 
spot of ground that he might call his own. A few years afterwards 
the King of France put him in possession of a part of Flanders, to 
which he had a claim in right of his grandmother Matilda, wife of the 
Conqueror. 

3. But no sooner did fortune seem to smile on this young prince, 
than he died of wounds received in battle. Before his death he wrote 
a letter to Henry, entreating his favor for his faithful friend Helie, and 
the other barons who had followed his fortunes. It is pleasing to be 
able to say that this last request of the gallant and ill-fated & son of 
Robert was generously complied with. 

4. In the year 1126, Matilda became a widow. She then returned 
to live with her father, who made all the nobles swear fealty to her, 
as they had formerly done to her brother. The following year he 
married her to Geoffry, eldest son of the Earl of Anjou, who was sur- 
named Plantagenet. This name is derived from the Latin words, 
plauta, plant, and genista, broom. 



particulars of his Heath. 6. How many were saved ? 7. How was the king affected by 
the news? 8. What is said of Prince William? 

XXXIX — 1 How many children had Henry ? 2, 3. What is said of William, son of 
KouerU 4. What did Henry do to secure the crown to his daughter? Who was her 

7 



74 ABOUT STEPHEN. — 1135 TO 1140. 

5. Why it was given to the house of Anjon, antiquaries are not 
agreed. One old chronicle tells us, that a prince of that family hav- 
ing killed his brother, to obtain his possessions, made a pilgrimage to 
the Holy Land to expiate his crime ; and as a further penance, flogged 
himself every night with a rod of the plant called broom ; whence he 
became nicknamed planta-genista, or planta- genet. 

6. The great love which Henry had for his own children, bore a 
striking contrast to his want of affection for his brother and his nephew 
William. That he might be near his daughter, he spent the latter 
part of his life in Normandy. After living to see her the mother of 
three sons, he died on the 1st of December, 1135, in the sixty-seventh 
year of his age, and the thirty-sixth of his reign. 

7. All the precautions which Henry had taken to secure the crown 
to his daughter proved vain. He had a nephew named Stephen, son 
of his sister Adela, and the Count of Blois. This young man had 
always been a great favorite with his uncle, who had loaded him with 
riches and honors. 

8. He had been loud in his professions of gratitude, and of his zeal, 
and fidelity to his uncle's family ; and had been amongst the first to 
swear to maintain the rights of Matilda to be the successor. But no 
sooner did he hear of the king's death, than he hastened over to Eng- 
land, where he soon procured himself to be crowned at Westminster 



CHAPTER XL. 

Proceedings of Stephen. — Miserable State of the Kingdom. 
— A Civil War. 

1 . We are told that Stephen had a very graceful person ; he was 
strong and active, and was very courageous. He was also pleasant 
in his manners, and in his conversation. He had always been a great 
favorite with the people, and to this he owed the success of his attempt 
on the crown. He was kind and indulgent to his own family, and 
profuse in his kindness to his friends and favorites. 

2. His usurpation of the throne had been so totally unexpected, 
that no preparations had been made against it ; and he had time to 
strengthen himself, before they had recovered from their surprise. 
Malcolm, King of Scotland, was the first to take up arms in favor of 
his niece. He advanced into England with an army, but Stephen 
contrived to win him over by giving up to him a large territory in the 
north of England. 

3. Robert, Earl of Gloucester, was the most powerful baron in 
England, at this time, and he was warmly attached to the cause of 

second husband ? 5. What was the surname of her husband ? 6. When did Henry 
die? What was his age? 7. Who was Stephen de Blois ? 8. What did he do after his 
uncle's death 1 
XL. — 1. What is said of Stephen ? 2. What of the friends of Matilda ) 3, 4. What 



A CIVIL WAR. — 1140. 75 

Matilda; but as the other nobles acknowledged Stephen, he was 
obliged to yield. But he bound himself to submit to him as king, no 
longer than Stephen kept the promises he had made in favor of all 
orders of men. 

4. The clergy and barons took the oath of allegiance with the same 
condition, and the latter required for themselves the right of fortifying 
their castles. In consequence, England was soon covered with for- 
tresses. In these the barons lived like robbers in their dens, and only 
sallied out to plunder and fight. 

5. Private wars arose among the barons, and were carried on with 
great fury in all parts of the kingdom ; the less powerful found them- 
selves obliged to purchase, at any rate, the protection of some neigh- 
boring chieftain ; the country was laid waste, and the most shocking 
cruelties were practised upon those taken captive, in order to make 
them reveal their treasures. 

6. Stephen was at length compelled to adopt some measures to 
check the wickedness of the barons. This occasioned great discon- 
tents, which gave courage to Robert of Gloucester, who had now 
openly espoused the cause of Matilda, to raise the standard of rebel- 
lion. 

7. Matilda herself soon came over to England, and was kindly 
entertained by Adelais, the widow of Henry, at her castle of Arundel. 
Stephen at once laid siege to this castle, and would soon have taken it, 
had it not been represented to him, that thus to take a castle belonging 
to Adelais, the queen-dowager, as the widow of a king is called, would 
show a great want of respect for her. 

8. Stephen, who possessed a great deal of that generous and 
romantic spirit, which led to the institution of chivalry, would do 
nothing which should injure his reputation as a good knight. He per- 
mitted Matilda to come out, and to proceed in safety to Bristol, 
another castle equally strong with the one which she had left. 

9. Matilda made use of the freedom which she owed entirely to the 
generosity of the king to raise an army against him. England was 
now for several years desolated by one of the most calamitous wars 
ever known. War and tumult were spread in every quarter. Instead 
of an open contest, it was a miserable kind, of hostility, and displayed 
all the worst evils of the feudal system. 

10. Each baron, shut up in his own castle with his own retainers, 
kept up a petty war with his nearest neighbor of the opposite party. 
The land was left untilled, and a grievous famine was the consequence. 
At length, on the 2d of February, 1141, the king and the Earl of 
Gloucester met in battle, in which the latter was victorious, and Ste- 
phen was taken prisoner. 

did tlie nobles require? 5. What is said of the state of the country? 6. What did Ste- 
p'leido? What was the consequence? 7. What -did Matilda do? 8. What instance 
of the generosity of Stephen? 9. What is said of the war that followed? 10. What 
was tlie result? 



76 



MATILDA ACKNOWLEDGED AS QUEEN. — 114] 



CHAPTER XLI. 

Matilda acknowledged as Queen. — Her Escapes from Stephen 
— Peace restored. — Death of Stephen. 




The Queen of Stephen praying for his liberty. 



1. After this great victory, Matilda, or Maude, as she was called 
by the Normans, was acknowledged as queen. Instead of acting- with 
prudence, or even with gratitude, she became puffed up with her suc- 
cess, treated her friends very rudely, and her opponents very inso- 
lently. She conducted towards Stephen while in prison with great 
inhumanity, and when his queen begged her to release him, she 
replied only by insult. 

2. She so disgusted all orders of people by her behavior, that even 
while she was making preparations for her coronation, she was 
obliged to fly from London, and seek refuge in Winchester. Here 
she was soon besieged by Stephen's brother, Henry, Bishop of Win 
Chester. 

3. The castle being in danger of being taken, she mounted a swift 
horse, and with difficulty escaped. Robert, Earl of Gloucester, in 
attempting to follow her, was made prisoner. He was, however, 
soon after exchanged for Stephen, and thus, by both being taken pris- 
oners, both regained their liberty. 

4. Matilda soon after had another narrow escape ; for being pur 
sued by Stephen, she saved herself by being borne in a litter, like a 
dead body, to Oxford. Stephen continued before Oxford three months, 
having sworn not to raise the siege till he had taken Matilda prisoner. 



XLI. 

have? 



— What was the consequence of the capture of Stephen ? - How did Matilda be- 
2 What was the consequence of her behavior? 3. What procured the release 



DEATH OF STEPHEN. — 1154. 77 

At Jast the garrison was reduced to extremity by famine. Still the 
queen's spirit was too proud to surrender. 

5. It being- now the middle of winter, the ground was covered with 
snow. Matilda and three of her trusty knights, attiring themselves 
wholly in white, passed out of the castle by a postern gate. After 
crossing the frozen river, and walking six miles, they reached Abing- 
don in safety, where they procured horses to carry them to Walling- 
ford. 

6. At this place she was met by Earl Robert, on his return from 
Normandy, with her son, Prince Henry, a fine, promising boy of 
eleven years of age ; and she soon forgot all her fatigues and alarms 
in the joy of that happy meeting. 

7. The fatal and ruinous warfare continued for some years longer. 
Indeed, it seemed as if the people were become so much accustomed 
to fighting, that they did not know how to leave off. In 1147, Robert, 
Earl of Gloucester, died ; on which, Matilda, wearied out with the 
struggle, resigning her claims to her son Henry, retired to Normandy, 
and passed the remainder of her life in quiet, seldom interfering in pub- 
lic affairs. 

8. Matilda left one memorial of herself in England, which is worth 
mentioning. Stow, an old chronicler, gives this account of it : " This 
Matilda, when she saw the forde to be dangerous for them that trav- 
elled by the Old Forde over the river Sea, (for she had herself been 
well washed in the water,) caused two stone bridges to be builded, of 
which the one was over the Sea, at the town of Stratford, now called 
Bow, because the bridge was arched like a bow." 

9. This, he tells us, was " a rare piece of worke ; for before that 
time the like had never been seen in England." All former bridges 
had been made of wood. In 1153, Prince Henry arrived from Nor- 
mandy with an army. Stephen, with his forces, met him at Wal- 
lingford. 

10. The two armies remained near one another for several days 
without engaging in battle. Some of the barons, who deplored the 
miseries of the country, had thus an opportunity of proposing an ac- 
commodation, to which Stephen the more willingly assented, having 
a short time before lost his eldest son, Eustace. 

11. It was agreed that Stephen should remain king during his life, 
and that Henry should be his successor. The news of the treaty was 
received with the greatest joy. Stephen did not long survive. He 
died on the 25th of October, 1154, upon which Henry II. peaceably 
took possession of the throne. 

of Stephen? 5. How did Matilda escape from Oxford ? 6. Who met her at. Walling- 
ford ? 7. When did Kobert, Earl of Gloucester, die? What did Matilda do soon afte-? 
S, 9. What memorial remains of her? When did Henry return to England? 11. H"«* 
were the difficulties settled? When did Stephen die ? Who succeeded him ? 

7* 



78 LADIES IN THE TIME OF HENRY II. -1150 TO 1200. 

CHAPTER XLII. 

How the Ladies employed themselves in the time of Henry II 

1. Our readers may be curious to know how the ladies were oc- 
cupied during the stormy times we have been describing. The 
daughters of noblemen were generally educated in nunneries till they 
married. These were societies of women, who had taken upon 
themselves vows similar to those of the monks. 

2. These religious houses were respected by both parties, and the 
young ladies, besides being instructed in the branches then considered 
essential to female education, such as surgery, needle-work, and cook- 
ery, were also saved from the dangers to which the violence of the 
times would have exposed them. 

3. After they were married, they lived in their husbands' castles, 
and were often besieged, and taken prisoners. In times of battle 
they employed themselves in making salves, and attending upon the 
wounded. 

4. If there were none of these requiring their care, they occupied 
themselves in embroidery and needle-work. They used to sit in the 
great hall, surrounded by their damsels working with them and setting 
them their tasks, like the mantua-makers and milliners of the present 
day. 

5. Some specimens of their work are yet preserved. At Caen, 
in Normandy, there is a very curious piece of the kind, called the 
Bayeux tapestry, which is said to have been the work of Queen Ma- 
tilda, the wife of the Conqueror ; though others suppose it to have 
been the work of her grand-daughter, Maude, or Matilda, of whose 
disputes with Stephen we have just been telling you. 

6. Upon it is represented the Conquest of England, worked with 
worsted in a series of pictures. The faces are supposed to be por- 
traits, but it is not possible that they can be very good likenesses. 

7. Though the wives of the barons never went out visiting, they 
were very far from leading a solitary life. Every lady had a number 
of damsels attendant upon her, who were daughters of inferior nobles, 
or gentlemen, or perhaps her own relatives. 

8. Besides this, the castle of every powerful baron was a school 
for the young nobles. They had nothing to do w T ith books ; but were 
instructed in everything that a soldier should know. They were 
taught to take care of horses, horsemanship, and the use of arms. 

9 To every castle belonged an enclosed space called the tilt-yard, 
where the young men practised all the exercises requisite to make 
good warriors. Their games were calculated to improve their 
strength and agility. Riding at the ring was one of these ; the object 
of which was, while riding at full speed, to run the point of the lance 
through a small ring that hung suspended from a high post. 

XLII. — 1. How were the young- ladies generally educated? What is said of nun- 
neries? 2. In what were young ladies instructed? 3,4. How were they employed 
after marriage? 5, 6. What is said of the Bayeux tapestry? 7. By whom were the 
ladies attended? 8, What is said of the education of the young nobles? 9. What waa 



PAGES, ESQUIRES, AND KNIGHTS. — 1150 TO 1200. 79 

10. The favorite game of the younger boys was the quintain. The 
quintain itself was somewhat like a turnstile, with two arms instead 
of four. On one arm was a painted board or shield, and to the other 
hung a bag of sand, or a pi^ce of wood. The play was for the boy to 
run at the shield, and push it with a long stick. 

11. When the shield was struck, of course the arms of the quin- 
tain to which it was fastened turned round instantly ; and, if the boy 
was not very quick in his movements, the bag of sand would give him 
a heavy knock on the back before he could get out of the way. 



CHAPTER XLIII. 

Pages, Esquires, and Knights. 

1. The young nobles commenced their career as pages or valets. 
It was the duty of the page to assist his lord in dressing, to wait upon 
him and his lady and noble guests at table, and to attend him when 
he rode abroad. After serving the requisite time as page, he was 
advanced to the rank of esquire. He now practised and perfected him- 
self in all knightly accomplishments. His present age would make 
him a more agreeable companion for the ladies. Pie joined in their 
dances, and cheered them with his music. In their society he acquired 
that courtesy and politeness of manners, which were indispensable to 
a good knight. 

2. He was relieved from the services required of the page, but was 
called upon for more dangerous and responsible ones. He attended 
his lord to battle. He was not expected to take part in the fight, and 
was in little danger, for, as he wore no armor, it was considered dis- 
honorable for a knight to attack him. 

3. He stood ready to render any assistance which his lord might 
require. If he were overthrown, he helped him to rise ; if he were 
wounded, he carried him from the field. ; if the wound were mortal, 
he received his lord's dying commands, and after his death, bestowed 
upon his body an honorable burial. 

4. A writer of the reign of Henry II., thus describes the exercises 
of the youth. " Crowds of noble and sprightly youths, mounted on 
war horses, admirably trained to perform all their turnings and evolu- 
tions, ride into the fields in distinct bands, armed with lances and 
shields, and exhibit representations of battles. 

5. " The hope of victory rouses the spirits of these noble youths ; 
their fiery horses neigh and prance, and champ their foaming bits. 
At length the signal is given, and the sports begin. The youths, 
divided into oppposite bands, encounter one another. In one place, 

the tilt-yard? What was one of the favorite games? 10, 11. What was a favorite game 
With the boys? Describe the game of the quintain ? 

XLHl. — I. What were the duties of a page ? What is said of esquires? 2,3. What 
Were their duties? 4, 5. What does an author of the age of Henry II. say of the exer- 



SO PAGES, ESQUIRES, AND KNIGHTS. — 1 150 TO 1200. 

some flee, and others pursue, without overtaking them. In another 
place, one of the bands overtakes and overturns the other." 

6. At length the young- noble arrived at a proper age to receive 
that honor, for which he had gone through a course of long and labo- 
rious preparation. If he was perfect in his martial exercises, cour- 
teous in his demeanor, polite and attentive to the ladies, obedient to 
his superiors, respectful to his elders, was skilled in music and danc- 
ing, possessed in short of all knightly accomplishments, he was 
admitted to the order of knights. 

7. Every knight had the power of conferring this dignity. Some- 
times an esquire had an opportunity of performing some gallant action 
in battle, and was knighted upon the field. This was esteemed the 
most honorable mode of obtaining it. Such were called knights-ban- 
nerets. 

8. Kneeling down before the knight who was to bestow the honor, 
he received a blow on the left shoulder with a sword, from the knight, 
who said, " In the name of God, of St. George, and of St. Michael the 
Archangel, rise up, Sir John !" or " Sir Thomas," or whatever else 
the name might be. 

9. But the process was usually longer, and accompanied with much 
ceremony, and many solemnities. The candidate for knighthood pre- 
pared himself by fasting and prayer. Having bathed and clothed him- 
self in a white garment, as a symbol of the purity and truth that must 
distinguish his future life, he entered the church, and, advancing to 
the altar, presented his sword to the priest, who blessed it, and then 
returned it to him. 

10. The novice then, with clasped hands, went and fell upon his 
knees before the elder knight, who took from him the sword, and 
administered the oath. He sw T ore to speak the truth ; to maintain the 
right ; to protect the distressed ; to practise courtesy ; to defend his 
religion ; to despise the allurements of ease, and to vindicate in every 
perilous adventure the honor of his name. 

11. He was then invested by the knights, or ladies, or damsels 
present, with the exterior marks of chivalry ; his spurs, his coat of 
■mail, his brassards, (the covering for the arms,) his gauntlets or iron 
gloves, and lastly was buckled on his sword. Then the elder knight, 
rising from his seat, gave him the blow on his shoulder, or accolade, 
and this was intended as a warning of the sufferings he would be 
called upon to bear. 

12. While giving the accolade, the elder knight repeated the same 
words as in the former case. The helmet, buckler, and lance, were 
now given, after which, mounting and curvetting his steed, brandish- 
ing his lance, and glittering his sword, the new knight paraded about 
amidst the acclamations of the people. 

13. There were some knights who devoted their lives to the pro- 
tection of the injured and helpless. They were not formed into any 
regular body, but were quite independent of one another, and trav- 

cises of the youth? 6. What were the requisites of a knight? 7. Who had the power 
of knighting? Who were knighis-bannerets? 8. With what ceremony were such 
made knights? 9, 10, 11, 12. Relate the usual process of making a knight. 13. What 
is said of knights-errant? 14. What of chivalry ? 



SURNAMES. — 1150 TO 1200. SI 

elled about from place to place for the purpose of redressing griev- 
ances. These were called knights-errant. 

14. This class of knights might well do a great deal of good in 
those lawless times, when might made right. The whole institution 
of chivalry, as the system was called, of which knighthood was 
one of the chief characteristics, did infinite service in softening the 
ferocious manners of the times. It had its origin in France, and no 
traces of it have been found among the plain and rustic Saxons. 

TABLE OF THE NORMAN KINGS. 

William I., the Conqueror. 

HenrTl ^^^ \ sons of William the Conqueror. 

Stephen, son of Adela, daughter of William the 
Conqueror, and the Count of Blois. 

CHILDREN OF HENRY I. 

William, lost in the White Ship. 

Matilda, wife of the Emperor oi Germany, and afterwards of Geoffrey Plan- 
lagenet, Earl of Anjou. She is commonly called the Empress Maude. 



Began to rei?n. 


Reigned. 


1066 . 


. 21 . 


10S7 . 


13 . 


1100 . 


. 35 . 


1135 . 


. 19 . 



CHAPTER XLIV. 

Surnames. — Of the Education of Henry II. — Learned Men 
of that Age. — About the only Englishman that ever was 
made Pope. 

1 . When the Normans went over to England, many of their 
leaders would naturally have the same Christian name. To distin- 
guish one from the other, they were called by the name of the place 
from which they came; as, for example, Robert d'Evreux, Henry 
d'Arcy, Walter de Courtenay, &c, which means Robert of Evreux, 
Henry of Arcy, &c. t 

3. Their children wishing to preserve the remembrance of their 
origin, also called themselves by the same names ; but in the course 
of time the French word de, meaning of, was either dropped entirely, 
or made part of the last name, as Devreux, Darcy, &c. 

3. It was soon found that, family names were not only honorable, 
but convenient ; accordingly they became universal ; but at the time 
of which we are now speaking, they were only assumed by noble 
families ; and it was a long time before they were adopted by the 
iOwer orders of people. 

4. When they began to use them, sometimes they added their 
father's name with son at the end of it, as, Thomas Johnson ; and 
sometimes their mother's name, as, Horatio Nelson ; or, perhaps 

XLIV. — 1,2. What is said of the use of surnames by the Norman nobles? 3.4. 
Whence were they generally formed for the other classes ? 5. What of the name Plan- 

6 



R2 LEARNED MEN OF THAT AGE. — 1150. 

they took their father's nickname, as, Hobbs from Robert, Bates 
from Bartholomew, Hodges from Roger, &c., and hence also Gib- 
son, Sampson, &c. Some took their name from their trade, or office ; 
as Smith, Weaver, Walker, (which is Fuller in old English,) Porter, 
Shepherd, Spencer, (that is, steward.) 

5. I have already told, you that Geoffrey of Anjou was called 
Plantagenet, and mentioned a derivation which an old legend gives of 
that name. The more probable story is, that one of the family wore 
a sprig of the plant genista, or broom, in his helmet ; his son retained 
it, and by this means it became the surname of the family. 

6. Henry Plantagenet was at this time twenty-one years of age ; 
of the middle size, and remarkably strong and active. He was very 
lively, and interesting in conversation. He was rather inclined to 
grow fat, but he guarded against it by abstemiousness and exercise. 

7. He was a very graceful rider, even to the last years of his life. 
He was educated in the castle of the Duke of Gloucester, one of the 
most learned, as well as virtuous noblemen of the age. Under his 
care, Henry acquired not only all the common military accomplish- 
ments of the times, but the uncommon one of a taste for study. 

8. He delighted in the conversation of learned men, and had so 
good a memory that he remembered every book he had read, and 
every face he had seen. The invention of paper had made it less 
expensive to multiply books, though, as the art of printing was not 
yet known, it was only to be done by transcribing. 

9. Every monastery had its writing-room, where the younger 
monks were employed in copying books. Few among the laity 
could write, and all the authors of this time were monks and priests. 
There were many learned men, both historians and poets. Of these, 
the most eminent are William of Malmsbury, Henry of Huntingdon, 
and Guildas Cambrensis. 

10. In this age lived Nicholas Breakspear, the only Englishman 
who was ever made pope. When a lad he was a servant in the 
Abbey of St. Albans. Being reproached for idleness, he left the 
abbey and went to Paris, where it was the custom for English stu- 
dents to resort, as the University of Paris was then the best in Eu- 
rope. 

11. At Paris he applied himself so earnestly to study, that he 
obtained the notice of Pope Eugenius III., who, after a time, made 
him a cardinal, as the highest dignitaries in the Roman Catholic 
church, under the rank of pope, are called. In 1164 he was chosen 
pope, and took the name of Adrian IV. 

tagenet? 6. What of the personal appearance of Henry II. 1 7. By whom was he edu- 
cated? What taste did he acquire? 8. What had made books cheaper ? 9. Of what 
class were the authors of this age? Who were the most eminent ? 10,11. What is 
said of Nicholas Breakspear ? 



MORE ABOUT HENRY II. — 1150. 



83 



CHAPTER XLV. 



More about Henry II. — Conduct and Character of Queen 

Eleanor. 




Queen Eleanor and Rosamond. 

1. Henry II. inherited all that was good and admirable in his 
grandfather's character, without his bad qualities. He was the first 
king since Edward the Confessor who had come fairly by the crown ; 
so that the people of England were prepared to receive him with 
great joy fulness. 

•2. The Saxon blood which he inherited from his grandmother 
made him highly acceptable to the English, who were pleased to 
think that in him the old Saxon line was restored. Henry was very 
powerful, from his territories on the continent of Europe, before he 
succeeded to the crown of England. 

3. He received possession of Normandy when he was sixteen 
years old. By his father's death, in 1151, he became possessed of 
Anjou, Touraine, and Maine. The year after, he married Eleanor, 
heiress of Guienne and Poitou. She was many years older than 
himself, and had before been married to the King of France. 

4. That monarch had been separated from her for the alleged rea- 

XLV. — 1. How was Henry received by the English people? 3. What were his pos- 
sessions on the continent of Europe ? Whom did he marry } 4. What is said of his 



84 CHARACTER OF ELEANOR. 

son that she was his fourth or fifth cousin, and marriage between 
persons even distantly related is forbidden by the Roman Catholic 
church. But the true reason, doubtless, was that she was a very 
troublesome woman, and Henry perceived that he had paid a dear 
price for the rich provinces she had brought him. She was con- 
stantly exciting his sons to rebellion, and it is said she administered 
poison to Rosamond, or the "fair Rosamond," as she is called in 
history, and thus caused her death. 

5. The first thing that Henry did on coming to the throne, was 
to send away all the foreign soldiers that Stephen had brought into 
England, and to order all the castles that had been built during the 
civil wars to be demolished. He also confirmed the charter of priv- 
ileges to the people. It has been said that " no king in so short a 
time had done so much good, and gained so much love, since Alfred." 

6. In 1155 he recovered the territory which Stephen had ceded to 
the King of Scotland. He then carried his arms against the Welsh, 
who were very troublesome neighbors, and only granted them peace 
upon terms favorable to himself. 

7. We next find him engaged in a war with the King of France, 
which, after several years' continuance, was ended by a marriage 
between his eldest son, Henry, an infant five years old, and Mar- 
guerite, the daughter of the King of France, who was not yet out 
of her cradle. 

8. In 1165 he received a still further accession of power; for the 
Duke of Britanny, finding himself unable to keep in subjection his 
turbulent barons, resigned his territories to Henry, to hold them in 
trust for Constantia, his daughter, who was betrothed to Geoffrey, 
the third son of the king. 



CHAPTER XLVI. 

Thomas a Becket, — How he lost his rich Cloak. 

1. We must now introduce you to Thomas a. Becket, who was at 
this time a very distinguished person, and whose quarrels with King 
Henry were a subject of concern and interest even to many foreign 
potentates. This celebrated man was the son of a citizen of London, 
and was the first Anglo-Saxon who had arrived at any kind of emi- 
nence since the Conquest. 

2. He had early been remarked for his great abilities, and for his 
attachment to the cause of Matilda. When Henry came to the 
throne, he selected Becket as his favorite and companion, and at 
length made him his chancellor, which is the third dignity in the 
kingdom. 

3. Becket now indulged himself in every kind of luxury and mag- 
wife? 5. What did Henry do in England ? 6. In what wars did he engage? 7. How 
was the war with France ended ? 8. What accession of power did he receive in 1166 ? 

XLVI. — 1 Who was Thomas & Becket ? 2. To what office did Henry appoint him ? 



THOMAS A BECKET. 85 

nificence. He never moved without a numerous train of servants ; 
his ordinary retinue when upon a journey consisted of two hundred 
knights, each having- his own attendants ; there were eight wagons, 
containing provisions, furniture and clothes, besides twelve pack- 
horses loaded w r ith plate, books, and money. 

4. To each wagon was chained a fierce mastiff, and on each pack- 
horse sat a monkey. In his ' dress, Becket was splendid in the ex- 
treme ; the luxury of his table and of his furniture was greater than 
had ever been seen before. 

5. Fitz Stephen, who was his secretary, and wrote the history 
of his life, states as an instance of his extreme delicacy, " that in 
winter his apartments were every day covered with clean hay and 
straw, and in summer with green rushes, or boughs, that the gentle- 
men who paid court to him, and who could not, by reason of their 
number, find seats at table, might not soil their fine clothes by sitting 
on a dirty floor." 

6. Though Becket had been admitted to the first order in the 
priesthood, he considered himself more a layman than an ecclesiastic, 
and employed his leisure in hunting, hawking, and similar amuse- 
ments. Pie also engaged in military affairs, and conducted 700 
knights, at his own expense, to attend the king in his war in France. 

7. His house was a place of education for the sons of the chief 
nobility, and the king was often present at the entertainments he gave. 
As an instance of the familiarity with which the king treated Becket, 
Fitz Stephen tells us the following story. 

8. One day, while they were riding together in the streets of Lon- 
don, they met a poor beggar shivering with cold. The king made 
the observation that it would be a good deed to give that poor man a 
warm coat. The chancellor agreed, and added, " You do well, sir, 
in thinking of such a good action." 

9. " Then he shall have one presently," said the king, and seizing 
on the chancellor's cloak, w 7 hich w-as of scarlet lined with ermine, he 
tried to pull it off. The chancellor, not liking to part with it, held it 
fast, and the king and he were near pulling one another off their 
horses in the scuffle. At last, Becket letting the cloak go, the king 
gave it to the beggar, who was not a little astonished at the scene and 
at the gift. 



CHAPTER XLVII. 

Henry attempts to check the Usurpations of the Clergy. — 
They resist. — Death of Becket. 

1. At the time of which we are now speaking, the usurpations 
of the clergy had reached such a height as to make it almost a mat- 

j 

i 3. 1. What is said of his style nf livin? ? . r >. What instance is siven of hia consider*- 
f lion for his courtiers ? 8, 9. Relate the story of the loss of hid cloak. 

8 



86 



USURPATIONS OF THE CLERGY. 



ter of doubt, whether the king or the priests, particularly the Arch- 
bishop of Canterbury, should be sovereign of the kingdom. 

2. Henry was not of a spirit tamely to submit to the encroach- 
ments of subjects. But the obligations which he was under to The- 
obald, Archbishop of Canterbury, prevented him from taking any 
measures to check them during the lifetime of that prelate. 

3. But after his death, he determined to exert himself with activ- 
ity, and, that he might be secure against any opposition, he advanced 
Becket to that dignity, feeling sure that he could depend on his compli- 
ance with his wishes. 







Thomas a Becket as archbishop. 

4. But no sooner was Becket established in his new dignity, than 
he seemed changed in character, as well as in condition. He re- 
nounced all his gay and active amusements, and was always seen 
with a book in his hand, or else absorbed in deep meditation. 

5. He affected the greatest austerities ; he wore sackcloth next to 
his skin, fed upon bread and water, tore his back with whips and 
scourges, and every day washed the feet of thirteen poor beggars. 
In short, the ostentation of affected sanctity made him take a satis- 
faction in inflicting on himself the severest penances. 



XLVTI. — 1. What of the power of the clergy ? 2,3. What of Henry's feelings on the 
jbject 1 4, 5, 6. What change took place in Eocket'a conduct ? 7. What are the con- 



DEATH OF BECKET. -1161. 



87 



6. His conduct towards the king was not less changed. He with- 
drew from the intimacy with which Henry had treated him, and 
resigned the office of chancellor, saying he must now devote himself 
wholly to his spiritual functions. So far was he from giving any aid 
to the king's plans for a reformation, that he set himself up as the 
champion of the church. 




Beckefs death. See page 88. 

7. But Henry was not to be deterred from the execution of his pur- 
pose, of lowering the pride and power of the priests. In 1164, he 
summoned a general council of the nobility and prelates at Clarendon. 
By this assembly certain laws were made, called the Constitutions of 
Clarendon, restraining the power of the clergy, and making them 
amenable to the laws of the country. 

8. These laws were so just, that even Becket was compelled to 
assent to them. But he knew very well that the pope, to whom they 
were to be submitted for ratification, would never submit to enact- 
ments which in fact abolished his authority in England. It happened 
as he expected ; the pope rejected the laws, and Becket retracted his 
assent. 

9. The king and the prelate now lived in a state of constant hos- 
tility. The clergy supported Beckef as far as they dared, and the 
barons espoused the king's party. At one time, Becket was deprived 
of his dignities and estates, and banished from the kingdom. 

10. But the influence of the clergy over the unenlightened people 
compelled the king to reinstate him ; and, upon one occasion, to sub- 
mit to the humiliation of holding the stirrup, whilst the haughty prelate 
mounted his horse. 



gi it nt ions of Clarendon 1 * Why so called ? 9. How did the king treat Becket ? 10. What 
mortification did lucking meet with? 11, 12, 13. Relate the particulars of Becket's death 



88 BECKET CANONIZED BY THE POPE. — 11G4— 1176. 

11. For eight years Henry was kept in a continual ferment. At 
last, in a moment of irritation, he unhappily exclaimed, " Is there 
nohody that will rid me of this turbulent priest ?" words which wero 
probably forgotten as soon as uttered by him. 

12. But they were not forgotten by some who heard them. Four 
gentlemen of his household, who thought they should do the king an 
acceptable service, by executing what they fancied to be his wishes, 
set out immediately from Normandy, where the king then was, for 
England. When they arrived at Canterbury, they demanded admit- 
tance into the archbishop's palace. 

13. The servants, apprehensive of some evil design, obliged their 
master to fly into the cathedral, thinking the sanctity of the place 
would protect him. But the assassins followed him ; and as he would 
not submit to be their prisoner, they slew him on the steps of the altar, 
as he knelt before it. 



CHAPTER XLVIII. 

Becket canonized by the Pope. — Miracles performed at his 
Tomb. — Illustrations of the Manners of the Clergy. 

1. When Henry heard of this murder, he was so much shocked 
that he shut himself up for three days, and refused to let any one 
come near him. At last his attendants forced open the door of his 
room, and persuaded him to take some refreshment. 

2. The king chiefly dreaded the displeasure of the pope. He found 
means, however, by a well-timed embassy, to divert the resentment 
of his Holiness from himself, and it was expended in denunciations of 
the immediate actors. The clergy now magnified the sanctity of 
Becket, and two years after his death, he was canonized by the pope, 
that is, added to the list of saints. 

3. His body was then removed to a magnificent tomb which the 
king caused to be erected in Canterbury cathedral. This was enriched 
by presents from all parts of Christendom, and it is estimated that, in 
one year, more than one hundred thousand pilgrims arrived at Canter- 
bury, and paid their devotions at his tomb. 

4. A great many ridiculous stories were told by the priests, and 
readily believed by the ignorant and superstitious people, of the miracles 
performed here. At this shrine, not only dead men were said to be 
restored to life, but also cows, dogs, and horses. 

5. A story is related of the successor of Becket, which illustrates 
the manners of the times. In 1176, the pope's representative in Eng- 
land, called the pope's legate, summoned an assembly of the clergy, 
at which he himself presided. Richard, Archbishop of Canterbury, 
and Roger, Archbishop of York, both claimed the honor of sitting on 
the right hand of the legate. 

6. The question of precedency created a dispute between them, 

XLVIII. — 1, How was Henry affected by the news of the murder of Becket 1 2. Wha« 



ST. PATRICK. 



89 



which ended in the monks and retainers of xlrchbishop Richard falling 
upon Roger, in the presence of the whole assembly, and throwing him 
upon the ground ; they then trampled on him, and he was with diffi- 
culty rescued from their hands alive. 

7. Archbishop Richard, by the payment of a large sum of money 
to the legate, prevented any notice being taken of this enormity. We 
may relate another anecdote of this period, which history has preserved. 

8. As King Henry was one day riding along, he was met by the 
monks of St. Swithan, who threw themselves prostrate upon the earth 
before him, complaining, with many tears and much doleful lamenta- 
tion, that the Bishop of Winchester, who was their abbot, had cut off 
three dishes from their tables. 

9. " How many has he left you?" said the king. " Ten only," 
replied the disconsolate monks. " I myself," exclaimed the king, 
" never have more than three ; and I enjoin your bishop to reduce you 
to the same number." 



CHAPTER XLIX. 

Earl Strongbow goes over to Ireland to assist Dermot Mac- 
morrogk. — The English conquer Ireland. 




Patrick in Ireland. 



1. In the early part of this volume, we have glanced at the state 

of tlie pope's resentment 1 3, 4. What of his tomh ? 5, 6. What story is related of his 
successor? 8, *J. Relate the story of the monks of St. Swithan. 



90 THE ENGLISH CONQUER IRELAND.- 1171. 

of Ireland previous to the invasion of Britain by the Romans. La 

history for several centuries is involved in much obscurity, and though 
we know that many interesting events took place, they are not of a 
nature to require further notice here. 

2. In the fifth century, the history of Ireland becomes more defined . 
About the year A. D. 450, St. Patrick, who was probably a native of 
France, was carried thither, he being then in his youth. He was 
made a slave, and occupied for several years in the care of sheep. He 
at length escaped, and having qualified himself by study, and received 
an education at Rome, as a bishop, he returned to Ireland and devoted 
himself with great success to the conversion of the people to Christi- 
anity. They had hitherto professed the religion of the Druids, but in 
the space of a few years the priests and princes yielded, throughout 
nearly the whole island, to the doctrines of the gospel as taught by 
St. Patrick. 

3. From that time Ireland was a place of refuge for learned men 
of all countries ; and religion and science flourished till the eighth 
century, when the island was overrun by the Danes, who destroyed 
nearly all the churches and monasteries. After the Danes were 
expelled, the Irish, having no Alfred to govern them, sank back into 
a state of barbarism, though they still maintained their independence 
of foreign dominion. 

4. At the time of which we are now speaking, Ireland was divided 
into 'five separate kingdoms. In 1171, Dermot Macmorrogh, one of 
the five kings, being driven from Leinster, went over to England to 
implore the assistance of Henry, who gave him some money from the 
royal treasury^ and permitted him to enlist in his cause any of the 
English whom he could prevail upon to join him. 

5. Accordingly the Earl of Pembroke, surnamed Strongbow, and 
a few other noblemen, returned with Dermot to Ireland, and with their 
assistance soon recovered his kingdom. Elated with his success, 
Dermot now thought it would be a good thing to possess himself of 
the other four kingdoms. 

6. But Strongbow did not dare to engage in a plan for the conquest 
of the whole island without first asking Henry's consent. The king's 
answer was for some time delayed. In the mean time the earl col- 
lected in England an army of twelve hundred men ; but just as he was 
setting out for Ireland, he received Henry's positive commands not to 
proceed. 

7. Disregarding these orders, he set sail. At Waterford he was 
joined by Dermot, and there married his daughter Eva, and then pro- 
ceeded to the conquest of the kingdom of Meath, which was easily 
effected. The year following, Dermot died, and Earl Strongbow, in 
right of his wife, succeeded to his possessions, and thus became king 
of a great part of Ireland. 

8. Henry had been greatly displeased at the earl's disobedience ; 
nor was he appeased till Strongbow went over to England, and 

XLTX. — 1. What of'Ireland in early times ? 2. What of St. Patrick 1 3. What of 
Ireland after the conversion of the people to Christianity ? 4. How was it divided ? What 
iappened ia 11/1 '? 5. Who went over to addiat Dermot? What did Dermut wish tc 



REBELLION OF HENRY'S SONS. — 1173— 1175. 91 

resigned to him all these great acquisitions, a part of which, however, 
Henry allowed him to retain. 

9. To divert the attention of the people from the murder of Becket, 
Henry determined to go over to Ireland to take possession of the ter- 
ritory already subdued, and to complete the conquest of the island. 
Accordingly, in 1172, he passed over the channel, accompanied by a 
fleet of four hundred vessels. The several princes, overawed by such 
a powerful force, submitted at once, and this important conquest was 
made without bloodshed. 



CHAPTER L. 

Encouraged by their Mother, the Sons of Henry rebel. 

1. In the year 1173, Henry appeared to have arrived at the utmost 
height of glory and ambition. He was sovereign of England, Ireland, 
and of a third part of France. All his dominions were in a state of 
tranquillity. But his future life was to be embittered, and his govern- 
ment to be disturbed, from a quarter which he might naturally have 
expected to have been a source of happiness, and to have afforded 
support. 

2. Queen Eleanor, whom he had married for her rich dowry, not 
only gave him much vexation by her own conduct, but she encouraged 
her children to behave undutifully to their father. It was no uncom- 
mon thing, in those days, for a king to cause his son to be crowned 
during his own lifetime, in order to secure to him the succession. 

3. In pursuance of this policy, Henry, eldest son of the present 
king, had been crowned when he was fifteen years old. It is said, 
that at this ceremony, the king, in order to give greater dignity to it, 
officiated as one of the retinue ; and observed to his son that never was 
king more royally served. 

4. " It is nothing extraordinary," said young Henry to one of his 
courtiers, "if the son of a count should serve the son of a king." 
This saying, which passed at the time as an innocent pleasantry, was 
afterwards remembered as a sign of that aspiring temper of which he 
soon gave proof. 

5. At the instigation of his father-in-law, the King of France, he 
demanded immediate possession of the crown of England, or else of 
the Duchy of Normandy. Before his father's refusal to comply with 
his unreasonable demand, he entered into a conspiracy with the kings 
of France and Scotland, and other persons who were jealous of Henry's 
power, to dethrone him. 

6. The prince, with his brothers, Richard and Geoffrey, whom he 
had persuaded to join him, fled to the court of France ; and even 
Queen Eleanor, in the disguise of a man, tried to escape thither also. 

do ? 6. What did Earl Stronehew do ? 7. When did Stronshow marry ? What did he 
get in lisrht of his wife ? 8. How did he appease Henry ? What did Henry do 1 

L. — 1. Whatof Henry's condition in 1173? 2. What of his queen ? How did Henry 
aitempt in make sure the succession of his son? 3 4. What occurred at the ceremony 
of coronation? 5. What demand did the prince make 3 6. What wad the consequence 



92 



REBELLIONS OF HENRY'S SONS. — 1175. 



She was, however, discovered, and brought back to Henry, who shut 
her up in strict confinement. The rebellion now broke out in open 
war. The King- of France and the Earl of Flanders attacked Nor- 
mandy, while William, King- of Scotland, marched into England, and 
was joined by all the discontented barons. 

7. Never did Henry act with more wisdom and vigor. The united 
efforts of so many enemies were unable to do him serious injury ; and 
in the year 1175, all their schemes w T ere frustrated by the capture bf 
William, who was surprised and taken without the walls of Alnwick 
Castle, which he occupied. 

8^ This place was assailed by about four hundred knights, and 
William, without waiting for his army to support him, made a gallant 
attempt with only seventy of his knights to repel the enemy. " Now 
let us see who are the best knights !" cried he, and spurred forward 
against his opponents ; but his horse was killed at the first onset, and 
he was taken prisoner. His numerous troops, on hearing of the dis- 
aster, fled with the greatest precipitation. 



CHAPTER LI. 



Singular Penance of Henry II. 
Sons. — Death of Henry II. — 
called " Curt Mantle." 



— Fresh Rebellions of his 
The Reason of his being 




Henry II. doing penance at BecJcefs tomb. 
1. The great mass of the people considered the troubles which 

of the king's refusal? By whom was Henry attacked? 7. What of his conduct? 
6 What happened to William, King of Scotland / 



SINGULAR PENANCE OF HENRY II. — 1175 — 1173. 93 

befell Henry, as a proof of the indignation of Heaven for the impious 
murder of Becket. The king, well knowing the effects of supersti- 
tion on the minds of men, submitted to a most singular and humiliating 
penance. 

2. Returning from Normandy, which he had been putting in a 
state of defence, he proceeded at once to Canterbury. When he 
came within sight of the church, he dismounted and walked barefoot 
to Becket"s tomb, prostrated himself before it, and remained there 
fasting all one day and night. 

3. He then assembled the monks, and putting a whip into the 
hands of each, presented his bare shoulders to receive as many lashes 
as they might think proper to inflict upon his royal back. Next aay 
the priest pronounced his pardon, or absolution, as it is called, and 
the king went to London, where he soon heard the joyful news of the 
capture of William. 

4. This had been made on the very day that he had received his 
absolution, and was regarded by the people as a proof that St. 
Thomas a Becket was satisfied with the atonement. Henry was in 
bed when the news was brought to him, but he at once arose, and 
called his attendants, that he might tell them the happy tidings. 

5. The King of France was now glad to make peace, and thus 
everything turned out prosperously for England. Henry's generosity 
to his defeated enemies was much to be admired. Pie gave liberty 
without ransom to a large number of noblemen who were made pris- 
oners ; and he gave the King of Scotland his liberty, on condition that 
he and his successors should do homage to the kings of England for 
their crown. 

b\ He pardoned his sons on account of their youth ; but Prince 
Henry continued to give his father a great deal of vexation, and at 
length again openly rebelled. He was actually leading an army 
against him, when the tumult of his mind threw him into a fever. 

7. Finding himself to be dying, he sent a repentant message to his 
father, entreating forgiveness, and beseeching that he would come 
and see him. The king, thinking his illness to be pretended, refused 
to visit him ; but sent him his ring as a token of pardon, which the 
prince received with thankfulness. 

8. A little before his death he desired to be laid on a heap of 
ashes, with a halter about his neck, to testify his deep humiliation 
and contrition. This was done, and in this state he expired. 
Henry's grief, when he heard that his son was dead, was very great 
indeed, and he bitterly reproached himself for having refused to go to 
him. As Prince Henry left no children, Richard became the heir to 
the throne. He was also of a turbulent temper, and had behaved very 
ill to his father. 

9. In 1188, the melancholy news reached Europe that the Sar- 
acens had taken Jerusalem. AH the warriors of this quarter were at 
once animated with the desire of driving the Infidels from the Holy 
City. 

LI. — 1, 2, 3. Relate the particulars of Kins Henry's penance. 4. To what did the 
people attribute his victory over William ? Why I 5. What was the consequence of 
the capture of William'.' How did Henry treat his late enemies ? 6. What more is said 



94 ABOUT RICHARD THE LION-HEARTED. — 1189. 

10. Richard Plantagenet, and Philip, King of France, were among 
the first to assume the cross. Richard, jealous of the affection of 
his father for his youngest brother, John, wished to take him with 
hirn to the Holy Land ; but Henry would not consent to this, and 
Richard, whose fiery temper could not bear contradiction, joined 
Philip in making war upon Henry, instead of leading- their troops 
against the infidels. 

11. Henry, being totally unprepared for such an attack, was 
obliged to make a disadvantageous treaty. But what afflicted him 
most, was, that John, his favorite son, had joined in the rebellion. 
This seemed to weigh down the poor king's heart more than any 
other affliction of his life, and he fell ill of a fever occasioned by 
anxiety. 

12. Feeling himself to be dying, he desired to be carried into a 
church, and laid before the altar, where he expired, on the 9th of 
July, 1189, in the fifty-seventh year of his age, and thirty-fifth of his 
reign. He was the wisest and most able prince of his time, and the 
most powerful in the extent of his dominion of any that had filled the 
English throne. 

13. The dress of the nobility was at this period very splendid. 
Some persons wore their cloaks so long that they swept upon the 
ground ; and the sleeves of the gowns came down over the fingers, 
to the great inconvenience of the wearers, who could scarcely either 
walk or use their hands. But Henry introduced the Anjou fashion 
of wearing short cloaks, which gained him the surname of Curt 
Mantle. 



CHAPTER LII. 

Of Richard the Lion-hearted. 

1 . We are now about to present to the reader one of the favorite 
heroes of romance ; Richard, surnamed Cosur de Lion, or the Lion- 
hearted, on account of his undaunted courage. He was very prepos- 
sessing in his appearance. His eyes were blue, and his hair, what 
was then much admired, of a yellow hue. 

2. He was tall, and his figure extremely fine ; he had a majestic 
and stately mien ; and this, joined to his great courage, and quickness 
of intellect, gave him on all occasions an ascendency over men's 
minds. He is said by historians to have been a good politician, 
orator, and poet ; but though he possessed a great deal of talent, he 
was hot-headed and without judgment. 

3. His faults were, perhaps, too suitable to the unruly temper of 

of Prince Henry? Who became the heir to the throne? 9. What happened in 1188 ? 
10. What was the cause of Richard's rebellion? 11. What success had the rebels? 
What chiefly distressed the king? 12. When did Henry II. die? What was his age? 
How long had he reigned? 13. What is said of the dress of the nobility ? Why was 
Henry called Curt Mantle? 
LII. — 1, 2. What of Richard, the Lion-hearted ? 4. How did he treat his mother and 



ABOUT RICHARD THE LION-HEARTED. — 1191. 95 

the time he lived in, to be then considered dangerous or reprehensi- 
ble. For his father's death he felt an extreme sorrow, and on see- 
ing- his dead body, he expressed an agony of remorse for his undutiful 
conduct. 

4. One of the first acts of his reign was to release his mother from 
her long confinement. He was very generous to his brother John ; 
but this, instead of inspiring any feelings of gratitude, only enabled 
him the more to injure his benefactor. 

5. Being desirous of acquiring glory, Richard resolved to go on 
a crusade. His father had left him a large sum of money, but not 
enough for his purpose ; so, in order to increase it, he sold the royal 
castles and estates ; and also put to sale the offices of the greatest 
trust and power. , 

6. When some of his ministers remonstrated with him on these 
proceedings, he said, " He would sell London itself if he could find 
a purchaser." For a large sum of money he absolved the King of 
Scotland from his vassalage to the King of England, which, as we 
nave stated, was the condition of King William's release. 

7. He also compelled his subjects to lend him money, and in short 
resorted to every means of raising funds, no matter how unjust or 
impolitic they might be. At length his armament was ready, and 
Richard arrived at Messina, in Sicily, on the 14th of September, 
1190. Here he was joined by Philip, King of France, and it being 
too late in the season to proceed to Palestine immediately, it was 
agreed to pass the winter in Sicily. 

8. There could scarcely be found two persons less alike in char- 
acter than these two kings. Richard, though proud and domineer- 
ing, was brave and generous. Philip was equally proud, but shy 
and deceitful. It is not surprising that two such opposite characters 
should quarrel before their six months' residence in Sicily was over. 

9. Richard had, in his infancy, been contracted in marriage to 
Adelais, sister of Philip ; but his father had repented of the engage- 
ment, and would not permit it to be fulfilled while he lived ; and 
now Richard, having fallen in love with Berengaria, daughter of the 
King of Navarre, broke off his engagement with Adelais. 

10. Early in. 1191, he prevailed with his mother to bring the 
Princess Berengaria to Messina. They arrived the day before he 
was obliged to sail ; but, it being Lent, during which season mar- 
riages cannot be solemnized in the Catholic church, the union could 
not then take place. 

11. Eleanor returned to England, and the princess, accompanied 
by the Queen of Sicily, who was Richard's sister, embarked for the 
Holy Land. A violent storm arose, and the ship the two princesses 
were in, was in great danger. The King of Cyprus, however, re- 
fused to admit the vessel into his harbors, upon which Richard laid 
siege to the island, and in a short time got possession of it. 

12. Here he and Berengaria were married ; and leaving a governor 

his brother? Was his brother grateful to him? 5. What did Richard resolve todol 
How did he raise money? 7. When did he arrive at Messina? Who joined him there 
8. How did Richard and Philip differ in character? 9. 10, 11, 12. Relate the circum- 
stances of the king's marriage. Relate the particulars of his voyage from Sicily. 



96 EXPLOITS OF RICHARD IN PALESTINE. — 1191 — 1192. 

in the island, he sailed for Acre, where the King of France, who had 
left Sicily some time before, in high displeasure with Richard, had 
already arrived. 



CHAPTER LIII. 

Exploits of Richard in Palestine. — His violent Temper brings 
him into Trouble. — About the Old Man of the Mountain, 
and the Assassins. 

1. Acre was a large town on the coast of Palestine, in the posses- 
sion of the Saracens, and had been besieged for two years by an army 
of Christians collected from all parts of Europe. The Christians 
were now in their turn surrounded and besieged by a large army 
of Saracens, under the famous Saladin. 

2. The arrival of Richard revived the courage of the Christians. 
He led his troops to the assault in person, and broke down a postern ■ 
door with his strong hand and weighty battle-axe. Saladin, who 
saw that Acre must soon fall before such vigorous assaults, gave 
the citizens permission to make the best terms they could for them- 
selves. 

3. On his own part, he agreed to release all his Christian prisoners, 
ana to restore to the crusaders the cross on which our Saviour suf- 
fered — or, rather, a relic which bore that reputation, and which had 
been taken by him at a former battle. But Saladin did not, or could 
not, at once comply with these conditions. 

4. The impetuous Richard would hear of no delay, and put to 
death all his Mahometan prisoners, to the number of several thousand 
men. On account of this rashness and cruelty, Richard was justly 
charged with the death of as many Christian captives, whom Saladin 
slaughtered by way of reprisal. 

5. Richard exhibited his violent temper upon another occasion, 
of which he had much personal cause to rue the consequence. 
When the city of Acre surrendered, Leopold, Duke of Austria, 
caused his own banner to be displayed from the highest tower. 
Richard, highly exasperated at what he considered an insult, ordered 
the standard to be taken down, and being torn in pieces and trampled 
under foot, it was thrown into the ditch. 

6. Leopold felt the indignity, but dissembled his anger, and cir- 
cumstances gave him an opportunity, as we shall soon relate, of taking 
an ample revenge, though at the expense of his faith and honor. 

7. The knightly qualities of Richard were more agreeable to the 
spirit of the age than the more statesman-like ones of Philip. The 
rash valor and brilliant exploits in battle of the former gained him 
the applause of the multitude. Philip, who was of a jealous temper, 

LIII. — 1. What of Acre? 2. What did Richard do? 3, 4, 5, 6. What instances of 



PHILIP RETURNS TO EUROPE. — 1191 — 1192. 97 

took offence at this ; and his hatred for Richard was continually dis 
playing itself. 

8. A contest had arisen between Conrad, Marquis of Montserrat, 
and Guy of Lusignan, for the empty title of King of Jerusalem, the 
substantial part, the kingdom itself, being in the possession of the 
Saracens. Philip espoused the cause of Conrad, whilst Richard 
maintained the right of Guy. 

9 Now there was an Arab prince, called The Old Man of the 
Maintain, who ruled over a small tribe called Assassins, who dwelt 
on Mount Lebanon. He had acquired such power over his fanatical 
subjects, that they paid the most implicit obedience to his commands ; 
and fancied, when they sacrificed their lives for his sake, the highest 
joys of paradise would be their certain reward. 

10. It was the custom of this prince, when he imagined himself 
injured, to send some of his subjects secretly against the aggressor, 
and no precaution was sufficient to guard any man, however powerful, 
against the attempts of the subtle and determined ruffians. From 
these is derived the name of assassin, or secret murderer, which is in 
common use. 

11. Conrad had given offence to this prince, who caused him to be 
murdered. Everybody in Palestine knew this to be the fact. But 
Philip affected to believe that Richard was the instigator of this crime, 
so entirely at variance with his open and manly, though violent char 
acter. He therefore selected a new body-guard, and took other pre- 
cautions, implying dishonorable suspicions of his rival. 



CHAPTER LIV. 

Philip returns to Europe. — The wicked Orders he leaves with 
his General. — More of Richard's Exploits. — Temnination 
of his Career of Victory. — He receives news from England 
which determines him to return. 

1. It was not long before Philip found out that nothing but barren 
laurels were to be gained in this war with the Saracens, and that but 
a small share of these would fall to his lot. He suddenly discovered 
that the air of Palestine was not favorable to his health, and resolved 
to return home. 

2. But before he went, he made a solemn promise not to make any 
attempts on the territories of Richard, though at this very time he 
entertained the full intention of attacking them as soon as he got back. 
Leaving his troops in Palestine, under the command'of the Duke of 
Burgundy, with secret orders to omit no opportunity of mortifying the 
English king, he proceeded directly to Rome. 

3. Here all his influence was exerted to procure from the pope 

Richard's violence of temper? 7. What excited Philip's jealousy of Richard? 9. What 
Df the Old Man of the Mountain? 10. Whence the name of assassin ? 
LIV. — 1. What discovery did Philip make? 2. What promise did he make toRichard? 

7 



98 MORE OF RICHARD'S EXPLOITS. — 1191 — 1192. 

an absolution from his promise to Richard. But his Holiness, if he 
had not sufficient regard for justice, at least had sufficient regard for 
appearance, and was politic enough not to sanction such a gross 
outrage on the rights of one, who at that very moment was risking 
his life in the cause of the church ; he therefore positively refused to 
comply. 

4. In the mean time, Richard, unsuspicious of these designs, 
thought only of his open enemies, and was rivalling in the Holy Land 
the imaginary actions of the heroes of romance. He defied armies 
with a handful of men, and challenged to combat, on his own person, 
an extended line of thousands, not one of whom dared to quit the 
ranks to encounter him. 

5. Notwithstanding the obstacles constantly thrown in his way by 
tbe adherents of the King of France, Richard at length arrived, after 
gaining a victory over Saladin, in one of the greatest battles of the 
age, within sight of Jerusalem, the object of his enterprise. But the 
French troops positively refused to advance to the siege, and Richard, 
to his great mortification, was compelled to stop short in his career of 
victory, and return to Ascalon. 

6. This march is described as the most painful of all that the army 
made ; and when at last, worn out by fatigue and famine, it arrived 
at Ascalon, ihe place was found to be in so ruinous a condition, that 
it became necessary immediately to repair it. Richard set the ex- 
ample, by working with more ardor than any common laborer. 

7. In the mean time, affairs in England had gone on very badly. 
Those to whom the government had been entrusted, quarrelled among 
themselves, and the whole kingdom was in a stale of disturbance. 
When the King of France reached home, he lost no time in inviting 
Prince John to unite with him in seizing on Richard's territories. 

8. John was only prevented from doing so by Queen Eleanor, 
who appears at this time to have acted like a wise and good woman. 
Philip would then .have invaded Normandy with his own forces ; but 
his barons refused to accompany him in so unjust and ungenerous an 
attempt. The news of these events reached Ascalon about the middle 
of April, 1192, and Richard resolved to return home. 

9. But while he was making his preparations, he heard that 
Saladin was besieging Joppa, and that the Christians there were 
reduced to the last extremity. Giving up, therefore, his design of 
immediately embarking, he went directly to Joppa, and defeated the 
pagans in a furious battle. 

10. Soon after this, he fell ill, and being unable to take advantage 
of his success, he concluded a truce with Saladin for three years, 
three months, three weeks, three days, and three hours. 

3. What did he do when he arrived at Rome ? 4, 5. What of Richard's exploits? What 
compelled him to retreat? 7, 8. What was the state of affairs in England i 9 What 
prevented Richard's return ? 



SHIPWRECK OF RICHARD CCEUR DE LION. — 1191-1192. 99 



CHAPTER LV. 

Shipwreck of Richard. — He falls into the hands of his 
Enemies, and suffers Imprisonment. — Story of his faithful 
Mi?istrel. 




Richard I. as a pilgrim. 

1. On the 9th of October, 1192, Richard set out on his disastrous 
voyage. His daring courage had made a deep impression on the minds 
of the Infidels. Long after he had ceased to trouble the world, the 
Saracen mothers would bring their stubborn children to obedience by 
the threat of his coming ; and the horseman would upbraid his start- 
ling steed, by the exclamation, " Hah, fool ! dost thou think Richard 
is in the bush?" 

2. After many storms at sea, Richard was at last shipwrecked on 
the coast of Dalmatia. He now put on the disguise of a pilgrim, 
hoping to pass through Germany without being" known. But the 
traveller displayed a generosity and profuseness more suitable to the 
king he was, than to the pilgrim he wished to appear. 

3. The intelligence soon spread through German v, that Hugh the 
Merchant, was no other than Richard Plantagenet. The king arrived, 
however, without molestation, at Frisak, near Saltzburgh ; and the 
governor there sent one of his knights to discover who he was. 

4. This man was by birth a Norman, and instantly knew the king ; 
but instead of betraying him, he presented him with a horse, and en- 
treated him to fly and save himself. Accompanied by a boy and one 
other attendant, he readied a town near Vienna. 



LV. — 1. What impression did Richard lea\ e upon the Saracens 1 2,3,4,5,0. Ileluu 



100 



STORY OF HIS FAITHFUL MINSTREL. — 1191 — 1192. 



5. Here he entered an inn, and that no suspicion might be excited 
concerning his rank, busied himself in turning the spit ; but he forgot 
to conceal a splendid ring which he wore on his finger ; and a man 
who had seen him at Acre knew him, and gave information to his 
bitter enemy, the Duke of Austria, who had never forgotten or for- 
given the insult offered him after the capture of that city. 

6. The duke meanly seized the opportunity of vengeance, which 
chance afforded him, and threw the unfortunate prince into prison. 
His place of confinement was long kept concealed. There is a very 
pretty story told of the manner in which it was discovered ; whether 
it be true or not we cannot say, but at any rate it is worth repeating. 

7. Richard was a great friend of the Gay Science, as minstrelsy was 
called, and often practised the arts of song and music himself. .Blondel 
de Nesle, a favorite minstrel, who had attended his person, devoted 
himself to discover the place of his confinement. He wandered in vain 
from castle to palace, till he had learned that a strong fortress, on the 
banks of the Danube, was watched with peculiar strictness, as if con- 
taining some prisoner of distinction. 




Richard discovered by Blondel. 

8. The minstrel took his harp, and, approaching the castle as near 
as he durst, came so near the walls as to hear the captive soothing his 
imprisonment with music. Blondel touched his harp ; the prisoner 
heard and was silent ; upon this the minstrel played the first part of a 
tune, known to Richard, who instantly played the second part ; and 
thus the faithful servant knew that the captive was no other than hia 
royal master. 

his adventures till his seizure by the Duke of Austria. 7, 8. How was it ascertained 
where he was confined? 9, 10, 11, 12. Relate hie story till his release. 



INTERDICT AND EXCOMMUNICATION. -1194. 101 

9. But this knowledge was of little immediate advantage to Rich 
ard ; for when the news reached the Emperor of Germany, he com- 
pelled the duke to surrender his prisoner. The treatment of Richard 
was now worse than before ; he was committed to a gloom v dungeon 
and loaded with chains. ' ° 

10. How long he remained here, we do not exactly know; but 
after a while he was taken to the town of Worms, where a meeting 
of the princes of Germany, called a diet, was to he held. While 
Richard was on the road to this place, he was met by some persons 
sent by his mother to attend upon him. 

11. He received them very cordially, and inquired with the greatest 
kindness for all his friends. When they told him of his brother's 
behavior, of which we shall tell you more particularly in a short time 
he was extremely shocked ; but soon recovering his cheerfulness, said 
with a smile, " My brother John is not made for conquering king- 
doms." ^ o o 

12 The emperor, to justify his conduct, charged Richard before 
the diet with- many crimes committed in Palestine. But Richard 
defended himself so eloquently, and pathetically, that many persons 
shed tears on hearing him, and all were convinced of the malice of his 
accusers. The emperor was compelled to treat him better, and to 
agree to set him at liberty on payment of a ransom, equal to about 
one and a half million of dollars. 



CHAPTER LVI. 

Explanation of the terms Interdict and Excommunication. — 
Richard returns to England. — Pardons his brother John. 

*\ When th e news of this agreement reached France, it threw 
Philip into the greatest consternation, and he sent a secret message to 
Prince John, " bidding him take care of himself, for the devil was 
unchained." Philip and John then tried to bribe the Emperor of 
Germany to keep Richard a prisoner a year longer. 

2 Being exceedingly avaricious, he "longed "to accept their offer • 
but he dared not do so, for the pope, considering Richard as the cham- 
pion of Christendom, threatened the emperor with excommunication, 
it he did not fulfil his engagement. 

3. There were two punishments by the infliction of which the pope 
endeavored to maintain his authority. One was by forbidding, or inter- 
dicting, divine service to be publicly performed. When a nation was 
under an interdict, as it is called, the churches were shut ; the bells 
were not rung, the dead were buried in ditches and holes, without the 
performance of the funeral service ; diversions of all kinds were for- 
bidden, and everything wore an appearance of mourning and gloom. 

1LVT- — 1, 2. What did Philip do when he heard the treaty for Richard's release 1 
Y\ hat saved Richard from his machinations 1 3. What was an interdict I 4. What was 
9* 



102 



RICHARD RETURNS TO ENGLAND. — 1194. 



4. Excommunication was a worse sentence still, and was levelled 
\% individuals, as an interdict was at a collection of people, such as a 
village, a state, or a nation. A person who was excommunicated was 
xmsidered as unholy and polluted ; every one was forbidden to come 
lear him, or render him any friendly offices. Thus, if the sentence 
;ould have been enforced, it was possible for the most potent monarch 
o become, by a single mandate of the pope, a miserable outcast. 




Richard forgiving his brother John. 



5. Queen Eleanor, as you may well believe, and everybody in 
England who loved King Richard, — and there were many who did, 
— used every means to raise the money required for his ransom. A 
general tax was levied to procure it, but this not proving sufficient, 
the nobles voluntarily contributed a quarter of their yearly incomes, 
and the silver that was in the churches and monasteries was melted 
down. 

6. When the money was collected, Queen Eleanor took it herself 
to Germany, and had the happiness of receiving her son, and bringing 
him to England. He landed at Sandwich on the 20th of March, 1194, 
after an absence of four years. He was received with overflowings 
of joy, and in London with such a display of wealth, that the Germans 
who accompanied him exclaimed, " If our emperor had known the 
riches of England, your ransom, oh king, would have been much 
greater !" 

7. After Richard had settled the affairs of his kingdom, he set 



excommunication 1 
brother John 1 



6. When did Richard reach England ? 7, 8. How did he treat his 



DEATH OF RICHARD. — 1199. lOJi 

out for Normandy, to defend it from an attack with which it was 
threatened by Philip. On the morning after his landing at Barflew, 
Prinee John suddenly rushed into his apartment, and throwing him- 
self at his feet, implored his forgiveness. 

8. This the king immediately granted, though he could not feel 
any affection for such a brother. Indeed, he soon after said to some 
of his attendants, " I wish I may forget my brother's injuries, as soon 
as he will forget my pardon of them." 



CHAPTER LVII. 

Death of Richard the Lion-heartea. 

1. The remainder of Richard's life was passed in a succession of 
wars and truces with the King of France. At last, through the medi- 
ation of the pope, negotiations were commenced for a more lasting 
peace. But these were brought to an abrupt conclusion by the death 
of Richard. 

2. The Viscount of Limages, a vassal of the king, had found a 
considerable treasure on his lands. Richard claimed this, as of his 
right as sovereign ; and on the viscount's refusing to give up more 
than a part, declared positively that he would have the whole, and 
immediately laid siege to the castle of Chalus, where the treasure was 
supposed to be lodged. 

3. The garrison offered to surrender the castle, and all that was in 
it, provided they might march out with their arms. Richard vindic- 
tively refused their offer, protesting he would take the place by force, 
and put them all to death. 

4. On the 28th of March, 1199, as he was taking a survey of the 
castle, and giving directions for the assault, he was wounded by an 
arrow from the bow of Bertram de Gourdon. The wound appeared 
trifling at first, but in a few days the life of the king was despaired of. 
Before he died the castle was taken, and all the garrison were instantly 
hanged, excepting Bertram, whom Richard ordered to be brought into 
his presence. " What harm have I done you," said the king to him, 
" that you should thus have attempted my death?" 

5. "You killed my father and brother with your own hands," 
replied the man ; '* and intended to have killed me, and I am ready to 
suffer any torments you can invent, with joy, since I have been so lucky 
as to kill one who has brought so many miseries on mankind." 

6. Richard, conscious of the truth of this bold reply, bore it with 
patience, and ordered the man to be set at liberty ; but this command 
was not obeyed, and Bertram was put to death as soon as the king 
had expired. Richard died on the 6th of April, 1199, in the forty- 

LVTI. — 1, 2, 3, 4. Relate the particulars of Richard's death. 5. Relate the particu- 
Jars of the interview between him and his slayer. 6. When did Richard die? How long 
did he live? How long reign ? 7. To whom did he leave his possessions ? 



104 



ABOUT JOHN, SURNAMED LACKLAND. — 1200. 



second year of his age, and tenth of his reign, only four months of 
which had been passed in England. 

?. He had no children, and left all his dominions to his orother 
John. He had at one time appointed Arthur of Brittany, the son of 
his next younger brother, Geoffrey, to be his heir, but on his death- 
bed he altered his will, being influenced, as it is supposed, by Eleanor, 
who had a great hatred to Constance, the mother of Arthur. 



CHAPTER LVIII. 

Account of John, surnamed Lackland. — He takes his Nephew 
Arthur prisoner, and causes him to he murdered. — His Loss 
of Normandy. 




Death of Prince Arthur. 

1, John, surnamed Lacldand, because he possessed no territory 
during the lifetime of his father, was the worst king and the worst 
man that ever wore the crown of England. Indeed, there are very 
few persons, whose lives are recorded, who possessed fewer redeeming 
qualities than King John. He was perfidious, cruel, and rapacious, 
and had neither personal bravery nor mental ability to make up for 
his faults. 

2. He had early shown his incapacity for government ; for his 
father, Henry II., intending that Ireland should be his inheritance, 
sent him there to accustom the people to him. But he insulted 



LXVITI — 1. What is said of John ? Why called Lackland ? 2. What instance had ha 



DEATH OF PRINCE ARTHUR. — 1202. 105 

I 

the Irish chiefs, ridiculed their customs and habits, and behaved with 
so much folly, that his father changed his purpose. 

3. Philip of France, who was glad of an excuse for interfering in 
the affairs of England, undertook the cause of Arthur, which had been 
placed in his hands by Constance. But John found means to persuade 
Philip that it would be more for his advantage to abandon Arthur, 
who was accordingly given up to John, and would have been put to 
death, had he not found means to escape. 

4. Three years afterwards, in 1202, Arthur married a daughter of 
Philip, who then in good earnest set about enforcing his right. Young 
Arthur broke into Poitou at the head of a small army. Passing near 
the castle of Mirabel, he heard that his grandmother, Eleanor, his 
own and his mother's most determined enemy, was in that place, and 
made haste to lay siege to it. 

5. He had nearly got possession of the castle, when John, acting 
with a vigor quite unusual to him, came suddenly to his mother's res- 
cue, and took the unfortunate Arthur prisoner, with his sister, called 
the Damsel of Bretagne, who was carried to England, and kept in 
perpetual imprisonment in Bristol castle. 

6. Arthur was taken to the castle of Falaise, and of his future fate 
nothing is known with certainty. The most probable account of it is 
as follows : the king first proposed to William de la Bray, one of his 
servants, to murder Arthur, but William replied, that he was a gen- 
tleman, not a hangman, and he positively refused compliance. 

7. Another instrument of murder was found, and was despatched 
to Falaise ; but Herbert de Bourg, the governor, desirous to save the 
unhappy young prince, pretended that he would execute the king's 
order, and sent back the assassin. He placed the prince in conceal- 
ment, and, announcing that he was dead, had the funeral service pub- 
licly performed for him. 

8. But the Bretons were so much exasperated at the supposed mur- 
der of their prince, that Herbert found it necessary to inform them of 
his being alive. No sooner did John hear of it than he had Arthur 
removed to Rouen, where he himself resided. The prince being 
brought into the presence of his uncle, threw himself on his knees 
before him, and begged for mercy ; but the barbarous tyrant, making 
no reply, stabbed him with his own hand. 

9. All men were struck with horror at this inhuman deed, and John 
became an object of universal detestation. The people of Brittany 
laid their complaints before Philip, as their liege lord, and demanded 
justice for this violence committed on one of the chief vassals of the 
crown. 

10. Philip received their application with pleasure, and summoned 
John to stand a trial before him. John did not appear, and, with the 
concurrence of the peers of France, he was pronounced guilty of mur- 
der, and all his territories in France were declared forfeit to his supe- 
rior lord. 

shown of incapacity to govern? 3. Whose cause did Philip espouse? Why abandon 
It? 4. Why resume the support of it? Relate the particulars of Arthur's capture. 6, 
7, 8. What became of Arthur ? 10. What did Philip do when he heard of Arthur's mur- 
der? 11 What became of John's possessions in France? 



106 JOHN QUARRELS WITH THE POPE. -1208. 

% 
11. Philip proceeded at once to execute the sentence. John could 
make but little opDosition, because his barons refused to assist him. 
Normandv was severed from the crown of England, after it had beer, 
in the possession of the descendants of Rollo for three hundred years. 
His mother's inheritance, also, and nearly all the rest of John s terri- 
tories in France were yielded up to Philip. 



CHAPTER LIX. , 

John quarrels with the Pope. — About the Jews. — John ex- 
communicated. — He submits to degrading Terms. 

1. It would seem that John had difficulties enough to contend with 
already ; but, in 1208, he must needs involve himself in a dispute with 
the pope, respecting the choice of an Archbishop of Canterbury. The 
pope, Innocent III., insisted on the election of Stephen Langton, an 
Englishman of very superior abilities, but John refused to recognize 
his right of dictation. . ^., , 

2. The pope then laid the kingdom under an interdict, lhis, how- 
ever, was not much regarded by the king, who employed himself in 
expeditions against the Welsh and Irish, and in extorting money from 
his own subjects by many unjust and cruel methods. One of his con- 
trivances was to assemble all the abbots and abbesses at London ; and 
when he had collected them together, he kept them there till they had 
paid a large sum of money. 

3. But the Jews were the special objects of his cruelty. Ever 
since the taking of Jerusalem by Titus, in the year 72 after Christ, 
the Jews have been an outcast, though still a separate people. 
About the time of Henry II., many of them went over and settled in 
England ; but they were treated with many indignities, and were 
obliged to wear a square yellow cap to distinguish them from Chris- 
tians. • . 

4. As they were cut off from all public employments they devoted 
themselves to getting money ; and the taking of interest for the loan 
of money being forbidden to Christians, the Jewish money-lenders, 
having all the business to themselves, became very rich. In order to 
distinguish their houses from those of the Christians, they were 
required to build them with the chimneys over the doors. Houses of 
this description are yet to be seen in England. 

5. They were exposed to many cruelties to extort from them their 
wealth, as it was considered no sin to plunder or even murder a Jew, 
more especially if the object was to get money for a crusade ; it being 
deemed that the cause justified the crime. 

6. The pope, finding that his interdict made no impression, now 
resorted to the more severe mode of bringing John to obedience. He 

LIX — 1 What new quarrel was John involved in ? 2. How did he get money ? 3, 4. 
6. What of the Jews? 6. What measure did the pope adopt, when he found his inter 



JOHN SUBMITS TO THE POPE. — 1208. 107 

excommunicated him, absolved his subjects from their oath of allegi- 
ance, and published a sort of crusade against him, exhorting all 
Christian princes and barons to unite in making war upon and 
dethroning him. 

7. The pope made particular application to Philip, who, as we 
may believe, was not slow to avail himself of the opportunity, and 
assembled a numerous fleet and army for the invasion of England. 
John now summoned his subjects to take up arms in defence of their 
country, and the call was promptly obeyed, for their fear of being con- 
quered by the French was greater than their hatred of the king. 

8. But the pope had no desire to increase the power of Philip ; his 
only wish was to humble John. Whilst he threatened the use of 
force, he did not neglect the use of artifice. By his directions, Pan- 
dulf, his representative or legate in France, crossed over to Dover, 
under pretence of treating with the barons in favor of the King of 
France, but in reality to induce John to submit to the pope. 

9. This artful priest found means to destroy the confidence which 
John should have felt for his own troops, and to persuade him that his 
only hope of safety lay in entire submission to the pope. Having 
excited the king's fears to the utmost, he then proposed the terms 
upon which the pope's protection should be granted to him. These 
were very severe, and such as no high-minded man would have sub- 
mitted to. 

10. The legate required him not only to acknowledge Langton as 
archbishop, but also to resign his crown to the pope, promising that it 
should be restored to him. John, regardless of everything but the 
present danger, agreed to these ignominious terms. So, taking his 
crown from his head, he placed it on the ground before the legate, 
and that haughty prelate, to show his contempt for his majesty, act- 
ually placed his foot upon it. 

11. John then knelt down, and placing his hands between those of 
the legate, (which was the mode in which a vassal swore fealty to his 
lord,) acknowledged that he held his crown as vassal to the pope, 
and swore to serve him faithfully, and to pay him an annual tribute. 
The sentence of excommunication was then revoked, and Philip was 
forbidden to invade the territories of the church, as the pope now 
called England. He was highly incensed at this disappointment, but 
was obliged to submit. 

diet of no effect? 7. What did the English do? 8, 9, 10, 11. How was the qnarre 
between the king and the pope settled? What degrading ceremony did John go 
through! 



108 



CONDUCT OF THE BARONS. — 1208 — 1210. 



CHAPTER LX. 

Magna Charta signed. — The Nobles excommunicated, by the 
Pope. — They invite the Assistance of the French, who invade 
England. — Death of John. 




■MuinDPnn'!i'Wliil!!!iW!ffl«^^ ,|l ' ll "«IHl!1lllllllll! , l 

King John considering the Magna Charta. 

1. John, relieved from the fear of his foreign enemies, found fresh 
cause for disquietude in the conduct of his own barons. Tired out by 
his weakness and wickedness, they had long been conspiring against 
him. They were now joined by Langton, the new archbishop, who. 
having discovered a concealed copy of the charter granted bv.Henrv 
I., drew up from it a declaration of rights, which the barons in full 
assembly approved of. 

2. The king was called upon to sign this, but refused to do so. He 
was now deserted by all who had hitherto professed to support the 
royal authority, and was left with a retinue of only seven knights. 
After trying various expedients, he was at last compelled to yield at 
discretion. 

3. He met the barons on Friday, the 15th of June, 1215, in a large 
meadow, between Windsor and Staines, called Runimede, which means 
the meadow of council, and which was so called because it had been 
used by the Saxons as a place for public meetings. 

4. At this meeting was signed the famous Magna Charta, which 
has since been considered as the foundation of English liberty. By it 

LX. — 1. What new cause of disquietude had John ? 3. Where was his meetin" with 
the barons held? Whence the name Runimede? 4. What was done at this meeliii." < 



MAGNA CHARTA SIGNED. — 1215. 



109 



the nobles were relieved from much of the oppressive tyranny of the 
feudal system. This had been constantly increasing, till no subject 
could act in the commonest affairs of life without the king's consent, 
which could be obtained only for money. 

5. We can understand the sort of interference the king had in 
every person's concerns, when we learn that no one could marry with- 
out his consent, and that he could oblige heiresses to marry whom he 
pleased. Enormous sums were paid by females, either for leave to 
marry, or, more commonly, that they might not be forced to wed 
against their will. 

6. Thus we read of a Countess of Chester, who paid King Stephen 
five hundred marks, that she might not be obliged to marry for five 
vears ; and of a Countess of Warwick, who paid King John five hun- 
dred marks that she might not be compelled to marry till she pleased. 
This sum would be equal to forty or perhaps fifty thousand dollars at 
the present day. 

7. The great charter contains sixty-three articles, and yet only one 
of these is for the protection of the laboring people. It provides that 
'* even a farmer shall not by any fine be deprived of his carts, ploughs, 
and implements of husbandry." The invidious word, "even," shows 
plainly how little they were considered or thought of at this period. 




King John signing the Great Charter. 



8. John signed the charter with great reluctance ; as soon, there- 
fore, as he quitted Runimede, he retired, sullen and out of humor, 
to the Isle of Wight, where he spent three months in planning 
schemes for revenging himself on the barons. He courted the favor 
of the common sailors, and sent agents into foreign countries to hire 



t'>. Wh:it instances of the king's power? 7. 
10 

/ 



What of the ereat charter 7 8. What 



110 DEATH OF KING JOHft.-12I6. 

troops. He also despatched a message to Rome, to complain to His 
liege lord, the pope, of the violence with which he had been treated 
by the rebellious barons. 

9. The pope was highly incensed at the audacity of the barons, and 
as he had formerly excommunicated the king, so he now proceeded 
to excommunicate the nobles of England. As soon as this decree of 
the pope, or bull, as it is called, was published in England, John, 
starting from his concealment, appeared before Rochester with an 
army of foreign soldiers. 

10. The barons were taken completely by surprise, for, despising 
the king too much to believe him capable of any vigorous measures, 
they had made no preparations against him, and were amusing them- 
selves with tournaments, bull-baitings and feastings, the usual diver- 
sions of the times. They were soon reduced by the king to great 
extremities, and in their distress they did the same thing that the pope 
had done before ; they invited the French to invade England, offering 
to accept Prince Louis, the son of Philip, as their king. 

11. Philip did not dare openly to accept the invitation ; but whilst 
in public he prohibited his son from making war against the vassal of 
the pope, he privately supplied him with men and money. Louis 
landed in England, May 23d, 1216, and entered London in a sort of 
triumph, the citizens doing homage to him as their proper sovereign. 

12. The foreign troops who had supported John were principally 
the subjects of France, and they now refused to fight against their 
prince. Deserted by his troops, John was compelled to fly. Every 
place submitted to Louis, until he came to Dover. This was bravely 
defended, and time was thus given to the barons to reflect on their 
error in calling in the aid of foreigners. 

13. Many of them again joined John, who was thus enabled to 
muster a considerable army, with which he marched from Lynn into 
Lincolnshire. His route lay across the mouths of two small rivers 
along the coast. These are called the Washes. At low water they 
are nearly dry, and may then be crossed with safety : but the difficully 
is, after you have crossed one, to be in time to cross the other before 
the tide rises. 

14. The rear of the king's army was overtaken by the tide, and his 
carriages, money, provisions, and baggage of every sort were lost. 
This accident, added to his previous anxieties, threw the king into a 
fever. With great difficulty he reached Newark, where he soon after 
died, of a fever occasioned by fatigue and anxiety. This event oc- 
curred October 19th, 1216, in the forty-ninth year of his age, and the 
eighteenth of his reign. He left two sons, Henry and Richard, and 
three daughters. 

did John do after he quitted Runimede? 9. What did the pope do? 10. How were the 
barons occupied? What did they do to secure themselves frum John? 11. What did 
Philip of France do? 12. 13.14. Give an account of the king's affairs. When did Joi.c 
die ? What was his age ? How long had he reigned ? 



COATS OF ARMS, OR ARMORIAL BEARINGS. — 1216. HI 

CHAPTER LXI. 
Henry III. — Coats of Arms, or Armorial Bearings. 

1. When King John died, his son Henry, called Henry of Win- 
chester, was only eight years old. As he grew up, he was found to 
be in character the opposite of his father. He was gentle, merciful 
and humane, kind and affectionate to his family, and liberal to his 
friends. 

2. Had his abilities been equal to his disposition, he would have 
made a very good king ; but the weakness of his conduct rendered 
him contemptible. His personal appearance, too, was exceedingly 
disadvantageous ; for, though he was of a tolerable height, he had no 
dignity in his manner ; his countenance was not pleasing, and his left 
eyelid drooped so much as almost to cover the eye. 

3. The Earl of Pembroke, who was a sagacious and good man, 
was made governor of the young king, and protector of the kingdom. 
By his wise and prudent conduct, the rebel barons were brought back 
to their allegiance to the king, and Louis soon found himself deserted 
by all but his French troops. 

4. These were soon after defeated by the Earl of Pembroke at 
Lincoln. In this battle, which decided the fate of Louis in England, 
only three of the French knights were killed. Indeed, a knight com- 
pletely armed seldom ran any other risk than that of being dismounted, 
and it could only be by some chance if he was wounded. 

5. It is said that Philip, King of France, in a battle with the Ger- 
mans, after being knocked from his horse, was a long time surrounded 
by the enemy, and received blows from all kinds of weapons without 
losing a drop of blood. It is even said, that while he lay upon the 
ground, a German soldier wanted to pierce his neck with a dart, but 
could not accomplish his object. 

6. The reader may wonder how people could know one another 
when they were thus covered up in armor. Each knight ornamented 
his helmet, or his shield, with some figure, such as an animal, a flower, 
a warlike weapon, or any other thing that pleased his fancy. It may 
be suggested that it would have been as easy for each one to have 
written his name upon his shield at once. 

7. This might have been a good plan, if all had been scholars ; but 
though every man could distinguish an eagle from a lion, there might 
not have been one in a thousand who could have distinguished the 
name of Henry from that of Louis. 

8. Before the crusades, every knight adopted what crest on his 
helmet, and device on his shield, he liked best ; but the sons of those 
who had fought in the Holy Land had a pride in adopting the devices 
their fathers had borne there ; and thus coats of arms, as they were 
called, became hereditary in the families of the crusaders. 

LXI. — 1. Who succeeded John upon the throne? What is said of Henry ITI. ? 3. 
What of ihe protector? 4. What was the success of the French invaders? What id 
Biid of defensive armor? 6. How were knights distinguished from one another? Why 
not write the names? 8,9. What of coats of arms? 



112 



DISTURBED STATE OF ENGLAND. — 1223. 



9. But coats of arms, or armorial bearings, as they are also called, 
have long ceased to be confined to the descendants of crusaders ; and 
what, was, at first, an honorable distinction, is, at present, little more 
than an unmeaning ornament. 



CHAPTER LXI1. 

Disturbed State of England after the Death of Pembroke. — By 
what means the King obtained Money. — Of Benevolences. 




King Henry and the nobles. 

1. After the defeat of his army at Lincoln, Louis was glad to 
make peace, and to withdraw into France. The Earl of Pembroke 
continued to govern the kingdom with honor, wisdom and success, till 
1219, when, to the misfortune of England and its king, he died. 

2. In 1223, when Henry was sixteen years old, he was declared of 
age to govern for himself. His want of ability now became apparent, 
and he was found totally unqualified for maintaining a proper sway 
among the turbulent barons. 

3. Those who had been entrusted with the keeping of the royal 
castles refused to give them up, and broke out into open rebellion 
when forcible means were used to compel them to do so. The king 
would then purchase their return to allegiance by concessions. 

4. But the nobles were most highly offended by the favor shown to 
foreigners by Henry. By the advice of Peter, Bishop of Winchester, 

LXII. -1. When did the Earl of Pembroke die? -2, 3. What was the state of thi 



OF BENEVOLENCES. - 123G. 113 

a native of Poictou, the king invited over a great number of the people 
of that province, and bestowed upon them the chief offices of the state- 
being persuaded that they were more to be relied on than the English, 
and that they would serve to counterbalance the great power of the 
barons. 

5. The resistance of the nobles proved vain ; their measures were 
disconcerted, and the most violent among them were obliged to flee 
the kingdom, and their confiscated estates were bestowed upon the 
odious foreigners. At length the clergy took offence at the conduct 
of the Bishop of Winchester. The primate, as the Archbishop of 
Canterbury is called, formally demanded the dismission of all foreign- 
ers, threatening, the king with excommunication if he did not comply 
with the demand. 

6. Henry knew full well that an excommunication, in the existing 
state of public feeling, would be very dangerous to him, and was 
obliged to submit. The foreigners were banished, and natives were 
appointed to office in their stead. 

7. But the English in vain flattered themselves that they should 
be free from foreign influence. In 1236 the king married Eleanor, 
daughter of the Count of Provence, and immediately raised her rela- 
tions to the highest offices. Many young ladies also came over from 
Provence, and were married to some of the chief noblemen in Eng- 
land. 

8. The king was so profuse in his generosity to these favorites, 
that his treasures were soon exhausted, and he was often obliged to 
apply to parliament (as the great council of the nation began about 
this time to be called) for a supply of money. This body took ad- 
vantage of his necessity to extort from him a confirmation of the 
Magna Charta, and the grant of new rights. 

9. To render himself independent of them, Henry resorted to 
various modes of procuring money. He would invite himself to the 
houses of his subjects, and always expected a present at the door ; 
he extorted from the Jews, wherever he found them ; he demanded 
lenevolences , or forced contributions from his nobility and clergy ; but 
all these expedients proving insufficient, he was at last obliged to sell 
his jewels and his. plate. 



CHAPTER LXIII. 

The King and the Pope unite against the Churchmen. — Illus- 
trative Anecdote of the Times. 

1. The pope, profiting by the weakness of Henry, made great 
encroachments on the privileges of the church of England. The 

kingdom after his death ? 4. What gave particular offence to the nobles ? 5, 6. What 
induced the king to banish the foreigners? 7. Whom did the king marry? 8. What 
is the parliament? What did the parliament obtain from the king ? 9. What were be- 
nevolences? 

8 



114 



POWER OF THE SEE OF ROME. — 1236. 



clergy expostulated in vain ; the king, hoping to derive some private 
advantage therefrom, supported the pope's legate in all his measures 




Henry III. and the clergy. 

2. They mutually supported one another in their exactions. 
Whenever the king demanded money for himself, the legate took 
care to make a demand, also. At length the prelates, quite tired of 
remonstrating, resolved to meet and consider of some remedy to pre- 
vent the rapacity of the legate. 

3. They assembled accordingly, but scarce had they begun to com- 
plain to one another of the miseries they suffered, when the legate 
entered the assembly, and made a demand for more money ; this they 
considered as such an accumulation of impudence, that they gave him 
a blunt refusal. 

4. An accident happened about this time, which strikingly exhibits 
the submission of the people to the papal power. Some business took 
the legate to Oxford. He was received and entertained there with 
great magnificence. As the luxury in which these Italian dignitaries 
lived was great, several scholars of the university, either from curi- 
osity or hunger, entered the kitchen, while the legate's dinner was 
preparing. 

5. After admiring the wealth and plenty which were lavishly dis- 
played on all sides, one of them, a poor Irish scholar, ventured to ask 
the cook for a bit of something to relieve his hunger. The cook, in- 
stead of giving the alms, threw a ladle of boiling water in the face of 
the petitioner. This action so provoked a Welsh student, who was 
present, that he drew his bow and shot the cook dead upon the spot. 



LXIII. — 1. What of the pope's conduct? 2. In what did the pope and Henry agree? 
3 What did the clergy do? 4, 5, 6, 7. Relate the anecdote about the legate's servant 
and the scholar. 



ABOUT SIMON DE MONTFORT. 1 15 

(k The legate, hearing the tumult, fled in alarm to the tower of the 
church and remained there till evening. He then ventured to come 
forth, and hastening to the king, complained of this killing of his ser- 
vant. The king fell into a great passion, and offered to put all the 
offenders to death. 

7. The legate at first insisted on taking extreme vengeance, but 
was at length appeased by proper submission from the university ; all 
the scholars of that college which had offended were ordered to be 
stripped of their gowns, and to walk barefoot, with halters about their 
necks, to the legate's house, and humbly ask for pardon. 



CHAPTER LXIV. 

About Simon de Mont fort. — The Mad Parliament. 

1. Among the barons of England there was one named Simon de 
Montfort. He was a son of that de Montfort who made himself so 
famous in France in the war against the Albigenses, a sect of Chris- 
tians, against whom the pope got. up a crusade. 

2. This Simon de Montfort had once been a great favorite with 
Henry, who had loaded him with riches and honors. He had raised 
him to the dignity of Earl of Leicester, and had consented to his mar- 
riage with his own sister, Eleanor, a match which gave great offence 
to her other brother, Richard, and to the English barons. 

3. Although he owed the great wealth which gave him the power 
to injure, to the liberality of Henry, he was the most active in exciting 
opposition to the king. Although he was himself a foreigner, no one 
was so loud as he in declaiming against the indignity of submitting to 
the rule of foreigners. 

4. He left no means untried to gain the favor of all classes of 
society. His machinations at length proved successful. The barons 
resolved to take the government into their own hands. The intention 
of resisting the king's authority first showed itself at the parliament 
house, where the barons appeared clad in complete armor, w T ith then 
swords by their sides. 

5. The king at his entry was struck with this unusual appearance, 
and anxiously inquired what was their purpose, and whether they 
intended to make him a prisoner. To this they submissively replied, 
that he was not their prisoner, but their sovereign : that they intended 
to grant him large supplies, but they must have some return for 
them ; 

6. That he had frequently made submissions to this parliament, 
and promised to observe the great charter, but had still allowed him- 
self to be led into the commission of the same errors, and therefore 
he must now be subjected to more strict regulations, and delegate 

LXIV. — 1. Who was Simon de Montfort? 2. 3. What is said of him? 4. What did 
he excite the nobles to do? 5, 6. With what success? 7. When did the new parlia- 



116 ABOUT PRINCE EDWARD. — 1253. 

sufficient authority to those who were willing to redress the pubh . 
grievances. 

7. Henry agreed to the demand, and promised to assemble a par- 
liament at Oxford, to form a plan for the new government. This 
parliament, which was afterwards called the Mad Parliament, on ac- 
count of the confusion which resulted from its measures, met on the 
11th of June, 1258. 

8. Twenty-four barons were chosen by the parliament, at the head 
of whom was de Montfort, and to these authority was given to reform 
all abuses. These barons, under this pretext, lorded it over the king, 
and assumed a right to govern the kingdom. But the people scarcely 
acknowledging such rulers, or not knowing whom to obey, paid no 
respect to the laws, and it seemed as if all government were dissolved. 



CHAPTER LXV. 

Character and Conduct of Prince Edward. — Battle of Lewes. 
— The " Mise " of Lewes. 

1. The barons had now enjoyed the sovereign power for three 
years ; and had employed it, not for the reformation of abuses, whicn 
was the pretence upon which they obtained it, but for the aggrandize- 
ment of themselves and their families. They abused their authority 
so much that all orders of men became dissatisfied. 

2. Prince Edward, who had already given evidence of his ability 
and courage, was loudly called upon to stand forward and assert his 
own and his father's rights. But he, as well as his father, had taken 
an oath to obey these self-constituted rulers, and, although absolved 
by the pope from his oath, he declared that he would abide by what 
he had sworn to. 

3. This fidelity gained him the confidence of all parties, and ena- 
bled him afterwards to recover the royal authority for his father, and 
to perform many great actions. The king, however, as soon as he 
had received the absolution, issued a proclamation, declaring that he 
had resumed his authority, and was resolved to protect his subjects 
against the tyranny of the barons. 

4. The next three years were passed in fruitless negotiations be- 
tween the king and them. Treaties were made, which were broken 
as soon as ratified. Louis IX., King of France, who well merits his 
title of Saint, for he was one of the most virtuous, as well as one of 
the most able men who ever lived, pursued a very different policy 
from that which had actuated his grandfather Philip. 

5. He tried to make peace between Henry and his barons. But 
Henry was too weak, and de Montfort was too ambitious, and all 

ment meet ? What is it called ? 8. What did the parliament do ? What was the con- 
sequence of their acts ? 

LLY. — 1. To what purpose did the barons mploy their power ? 2, 3. What of Prince 
Edward 1 What did the king do ? 4, 5. What of Louis IX. ? 6, 7. What was the resul' 



CHANGE IS THE CONSTITUTION OF PARLIAMENT. — 1204. 117 

Louis' endeavors were unavailing. At length both parties had 
recourse to arms. The hostile forces met at Lewes, May 14th, 1264. 

6. The royal troops were formed in three divisions, commanded 
respectively by Henry, his brother Richard, and Prince Edward 
The prince attacked the body of the rebels opposed to him, with such 
fury, that he drove them before him, and never stopped from the pur- 
suit till he was four miles from the field of battle. 

7. On his return from this pursuit, he found that the other two 
divisions of the royal army had been defeated, and that his father and 
uncle were prisoners in the hands of the rebels. He endeavored in 
vain to prevail on his followers to renew the battle, but was at length 
obliged to submit to such terms as Leicester would grant him. 

8. It was agreed that Edward and his cousin Henry should sur- 
render themselves as prisoners, in lieu of their respective fathers, who, 
with all the other prisoners on both sides, were to be released. There 
were other conditions in this agreement, which is called the Mise of 
Lewes, from an old French word having that meaning. 

9. All the nobility of England who valued themselves upon their 
Norman descent, and who disdained the language of their native 
country, made familiar use of the French tongue until this period, and 
for some time after. 



CHAPTER LXVI. 

A Change made in the Constitution of Parliament. — Prince 
Edward makes his Escape from Imprisonment. — The Barons 
subdued. 

1. Leicester, having got the whole royal family into his power, 
paid no regard to the Mise of Lewes. He still detained the king a 
prisoner, and used his name for his own lofty purposes. He even 
formed plans of raising himself to the throne. But his ambition caused 
his downfall. The Earl of Gloucester, his former associate, and now 
his rival, secretly planned his ruin. 

2. Perceiving himself to be an object of suspicion to the nobles, 
Leicester sought to increase and to turn to advantage his popularity 
with the other classes. He summoned a parliament, and, that he 
might control its measures, he made a change in its constitution. In 
addition to the noblemen who attended in their own right, as the 
immediate servants of the crown, he ordered each county to send two 
discreet knig-hts. 

3. Every city and borough, or town, was also ordered to send two 
of its wisest citizens, and burgesses, as the inhabitants of a borough 
were called. This is the first mention made in history of the corn- 
oft ho tnttle between the king and the nobles 3 3. What is the treaty called ? 9. What 
of the larguage in use I 

LXVI. — if Whai led to Leicester's ruin ? 2. How did he attempt to maintain his 
power i What changes did he make in the constitution of the parliament' 4. Ol what 



118 



PRINCE EDWARD ESCAPES FROM IMPRISONMENT. 



mons being represented in parliament. Hitherto the prelates and 
barons only are mentioned as the members. 




Prince Edward saving his father. 

4. At first the nobles and representatives of the counties and towns 
assembled in one house ; but afterwards they divided themselves into 
two ; and hence arose the House of Lords and the House of Com- 
mons ; the one composed of noblemen who attend in right of birth, or 
creation by the king, and the other of gentlemen who are chosen by 
the people. 

5. This parliament met the 20th of January, 1265. The most 
powerful of the nobles, seeing the use which Leicester intended to 
make of this new engine, withdrew themselves from London. Amongst 
others, the Earl of Gloucester, whose power and influence had greatly 
contributed to the original success of the barons, retired to his castle, 
and put it in a state of defence. 

6. He then formed a plan to get Prince Edward out of Leicester's 
hands, which he contrived to communicate to the prince, and sent him 
a horse of extraordinary swiftness. The prince, according to Glouces- 
ter's plan, pretended to be very ill, and, in a few days, appearing- a 
little better, he obtained Leicester's permission to ride abroad for the 
benefit of his health. 

7. Proceeding slowly, as if weak and ill, he, after some little time, 
persuaded the gentlemen who were his guards to ride races with one 
another. When he thought that their horses were, sufficiently tired 

does i lie parliament coasts* 2 5. How did the nobles defeat Leicester's project? 6, 7 



PRINCE EDWARD GOES ON A CRUSADE. 119 

with this exercise, he raised himself erect in his saddle, and telling 
his guards " he had long enough enjoyed the pleasure of their com- 
pany, and that he now bade them adieu," he put spurs to his horse, 
and was soon beyond the reach of pursuit. 

8. As soon as his escape was known, the loyal barons flocked tc 
him, and he was thus at the head of a numerous army. Leicestei 
obliged the old king to issue a proclamation, declaring the prince a 
traitor. He also sent for his eldest son, Simon, from London, who 
accordingly set out to join him with a great reinforcement. 

9. But Prince Edward met and defeated him at Kenilworth ; and 
before Leicester could hear of his son's overthrow, Edward's army 
appeared in sight, bearing in front the banners taken from young 
Simon. This led the earl at first to suppose that the reinforcement 
he was expecting had arrived. 

10. But when the prince advanced near enough for him to find ou 
his mistake, he exclaimed, " Now God have mercy on our souls, for 
our bodies are Prince Edward's !" The battle soon began, and poor 
King Henry was placed by Leicester in the front of his army. He 
received a wound, and was near being killed, but crying out, " I am 
Henry of Winchester, your king, don't kill me," he was led to his 
son, who put him in a place of safety. 

11. The victory of the prince was complete. Leicester was killed 
and the confederacy of the barons was broken up. This impoitan; 
battle was fought at Evesham, May 4th, 1265. One powerful baron, 
named Adam Gordon, still held out against the king, and the prince 
was obliged to lead an army against him. 

12. He found the rebels in a fortified camp, which he at once 
attacked. In the ardor of the battle, Edward leaped over the trench 
And encountered Gordon in single combat ; after a sharp contest, the 
latter fell from his horse, but the prince generously gave him his life, 
and was ever after faithfully served by him. 



CHAPTER LXVII. 

Prince Edward goes on a Crusade. — Death of Henry III. — 
About Painting, and Illuminated Manuscripts. 

1. As there was no more fighting to be done at home, Prince 
Edward, who could not bear to be idle, set out on a crusade against 
the Infidels. He embarked at Portsmouth, May 4th, 1270, meaning 
to join St. Louis at Tunis. On his arrival there, he found that Louis 
had died of the plague. 

2. Not discouraged by this event, Edward resolved still to pursue 
the enterprise with his own little army. Proceeding to the Hr>ly 



How did Edward effect his escape? 8. What did the king do ? 10,11. What, of the 
tattle of Evesham? When and between whom was it fought? 12. What anecdote of 
Prince Edward's gallantry ? 
LV1I. — 1. When did Edward leave England to fi?ht the Infidels ? 2. What was his 



120 



DEATH OF HENRY III. 



Land, he distinguished himself by many acts of valor ; and struck 
such terror into the Saracens that they employed an assassin to m&/ 
der him. 




Frince Edward and the assassin. 

3. This man, under pretence of having a secret message, was ad- 
mitted into the prince's chamber, and then attempted to kill him with 




Elea?ior sucking out the poison. 

a poisoned dagger. Edward wrenched the weapon from the man's 
hand, but in the scuffle he received a wound in the arm. This might 



success ? 3. Relate the incidents of the attack on his life. 4. What was the state of 



ARCHITECTURE OF THE AGE OF HENRY III.— 1272. 121 

have proved fatal, had not his affectionate wife, Eleanor, who had 
accompanied him to Palestine, sucked the poison from the wound. 

4. Whilst the prince was thus perilling his life in foreign lands, 
affairs were going on very badly at home. King Henry had become 
old and feeble ; his government, never much respected, was now 
totally despised, and riots, robberies, and excesses of all kinds were 
perpetually committed. 

5. At last the king, worn out by infirmities, died on the 16th of 
November, 1272, in the sixty-fourth year of his age, and the fifty- 
seventh of his reign, the longest reign in the English annals, except 
that of George III., and one of the most inglorious. 

6. Although Henry was so deficient in the abilities necessary for a 
ruler, he was not altogether wanting in sense. He was a promoter 
of the fine arts, and the art of painting improved greatly during his 
reign. It became the fashion to adorn the walls of rooms and churches 
with historical pictures. 

7. Antiquaries are very much puzzled to know what colors were 
used in these large paintings. There is reason to believe they were 
not merely water colors, and yet it is commonly supposed that the art 
of painting in oils is of much later discovery. 

8. The only pictures which we can rely upon, of this age, are those 
we find in Missals, or Roman Catholic Prayer Books. These are 
often ornamented, or, as it is called, illuminated, with paintings, beau- 
tiful from the brightness of the gold and colors, and curious from the 
exceeding delicacy of the execution. Many of these books are still 
in excellent preservation. 



CHAPTER LXVIII. 

Architecture of the Age of Henry III. — Trade and the Mer- 
chants of England at the same Period. 

1. A change was also made in the style of architecture, and some 
of the finest Gothic buildings of England were built in the reign of 
Henry III. The heavy Saxon was now succeeded by one of much 
greater elegance, and richness of ornament. The pillars, instead of 
heavy thick shafts, had one small shaft in the centre, surrounded by 
many slender ones, so as to form altogether one bulky pillar composed 
of many parts. 

2. The carved work of all kinds was more elaborate, and the out 
sides of the churches were adorned with pinnacles, and with loftier 
steeples than formerly. Such very curious and complicated buildings 
could not be executed by common workmen. A number of the best 
artificers, therefore, incorporated themselves into companies, and went 
about from place to place, as they were required. 

England during his absence? 5. When did Henry die ? What was his age ? How long 
did he reign J 6. What is said of the art of painting? 7. What of the colors? 8. What 
is SMid of the Missals? 
LXVIII. — 1. What change had tiken place in the architecture? 3. What were the 
11 



122 STATE OF LEARNING. — 1272. 

3. They lived in temporary huts, near the great buildings they 
were employed upon, and called themselves free masons ; and this is 
the origin of the society of free masons, which has been so greatly 
extended. 

4. Although so much had been done to secure the liberties of the 
nobles, little change had taken place in the condition of the common 
people. Slaves were bought and sold at the fairs, and a man would 
bring a less price than a horse. These fairs were markets, held at 
stated periods, for the sale of various articles of merchandise ; for 
there were no regular shops, and the merchants and traders travelled 
from place to place, attending the fairs to dispose of their goods. 

5. The foreign trade of England at this time was chiefly carried on 
by Germans. The principal commodities were wool, lead, and tin. 
These were brought to certain towns in different parts, called the 
staple towns, where the collectors of the king's customs were appointed 
to receive the duty. 

6. The goods were then sold to the German traders, who were 
called the merchants of the staple ; and these people exported them 
abroad, and imported gold, silver, and various goods in return. The 
Lombards, also, were another set of foreigners who settled in England. 
Their business was chiefly to lend money on interest. 

7. The native merchants made a serious remonstrance to Edward, 
after he became king, begging that the " merchant strangers " might 
be sent out of the kingdom ; but the answer they received from him 
was, " I am of opinion that merchant strangers are useful to the great 
men of the kingdom, and therefore I will not expel them." In fact, 
they not only imported silks, wine, spices, and other luxuries, used 
only by the nobles, but alsj lent them money. 



CHAPTER LXIX. 

Of the state of Learning in the time of Henry III. — Friar 
Bacon. — Judicial Astrology. — Trials by Combat. 

1. Although four of the present colleges at Oxford were founded 
in the reign of Henry III., yet learning was still at a very low ebb. 
There were a great number of students, but they learned little except 
bad Latin, and worse logic. They disputed without end and without 
meaning about the plainest truths. These frivolous contests were 
conducted w 7 ith so much eagerness, that from angry words the dispu- 
tants sometimes proceeded to blows. 

2. But there was one person of this age who is distinguished for 
more useful inventions than any man who ever lived. This was 
Roger Bacon, a monk of Oxford, and the most learned man of his 
time. He applied his learning to the discovery of useful knowledge. 

freemasons? 4. What is said of the condition of the people 1 5. How was trade carried 
>n ? 6. By whom was the foreign trade carried on ? In what manner? What were the 
principal commodities? 7. What did the native merchants do to rid themselves of the 
urei?n_ers? What was the king's answer to their application ? 
LXIX. — 1. What is said of the state of learning 1 What was taught? 2. What is 



FRIAR BACOxN. — JUDICIAL ASTROLOGY. — 1272. 



123 



3. He invented telescopes, reading-gl asses, microscopes, and manv 
other astronomical and mathematical instruments. He discovered 
gunpowder, but he considered it as an object of mere curiosity, and 
not applicable to any useful purpose. The same discovery was after- 
wards made by Swartz, a German monk, about the year 1340, and 
as he was the first who applied it to its present uses, he has the 
orpdit, and perhaps deservedly, of being the original inventor. 







Friar Bacon. 



4. Friar Bacon, as he is commonly called, also wrote several 
books; and made a map, a thing which excited great admiration. 
This was not a map of England, as we might suppose, but of Tartary ; 
and was formed from the descriptions he obtained from some travellers, 
who had been there. 

5. In short, his genius soared so far above all his contemporaries, 
that he was looked upon as a magician, and thrown into prison, where 
he was kept many years. He at length returned to Oxford, and died 
there, a very old man, in 1292. 

6. At a period a little earlier than this, judicial astrology, or the 
science of the stars, was the favorite study. The astrologers pre- 
tended to foretell events by observing the heavenly bodies. There 
was hardly a prince, or even a nobleman, in Europe, who did not keep 
one in his family. 

7. The most famous of the astrologers published a kind of alma- 
nac every year, with a variety of predictions concerning the weather 



said nf Rnsrer Bacon? What were some of his discoveries? Who lias the credit of 
inventing gunpowder? Why? 5. What misfortunes did Bacon's learning bring upon 
him ? When did he die ? 6. What is said of judicial astrology J 7. Wlial did the most 



J 24 EDWARD 1. — 1272. 

as well as the public events that were to take place. Their predic- 
tions were generally given in very general and artful terms. By 
departing from this prudent conduct, they brought themselves intc 
temporary disrepute. 

8. For, in the beginning of 1186, all the great Christian astrologers 
agreed in declaring, that from some extraordinary positions of the 
planets, which had never happened before and would never happen 
again, there would arise on Tuesday, the 16th of September, at three 
D'clock in the morning, a most dreadful storm, which would sweep 
away great towns and cities. 

9. They further predicted that this storm would be followed by a 
destructive pestilence, bloody wars, and all the plagues that ever 
afflicted miserable mortals. This direful prophecy spread terror and 
consternation over Europe, though it was contradicted by the Arabian 
astrologers, who said there would only be a few shipwrecks, and a 
little failure in the harvest. 

10. When the awful day drew near, the Archbishop of Canterbury 
commanded a solemn fast of three days to be observed. But, to the 
utter confusion of the poor astrologers, the 16th of September was 
uncommonly calm and pleasant, the whole season remarkably mild 
and healthy, " and there were no storms that year," says a pleasant 
writer, "but what the archbishop raised in the church by his own 
turbulence." 

11. We will mention one other incident of the reign of Henry ITT., 
illustrative of the manners cf the age — the trial by ordeal. The Nor- 
mans, although they had hitherto retained this custom of the Saxons, 
had a method of their cwn of referring the decision of questions to the 
Judgment of God. 

12. This was by the trial by combat. The parties to a lawsuit, 
instead of battling in words, fought it out with swords, and he who 
came off best in the contest, gained his cause. Even abstract ques- 
tions of law were referred to the same decision. A champion was 
selected to maintain each side of the question, and the decision was 
given in accordance with the result of the combat. 



CHAPTER LXX. 

.Edward I., surnamed Long- Shanks. — Tournaments. — Tti*. 
little Battle of Chalons. 

1. We have already seen enough of Edward I. to know that he 
proved a king of a very different character from his father. In his 
person he was unusually tall, and his legs being somewhat out of pro- 
portion, he had the surname of Long-Shanks given to him. 

famous do each year? 8. 9, 10. Relate the incident which brought them into disrepute 
11. What custom was abolished in the reien of Henry III.? 12. What is said of trial* 
oy combat? 
LXX. — 1. What was Edward 1. surnamed? Why? Describe his personal appear 



TOU RNAMENTS. — 1272. 1 25 

2. He had a fine open forehead, and regular features ; his hair 
and complexion were fair in his youth, but became darker in his 
middle age. His air and carriage were very commanding ; he de- 
lighted in all martial and manly exercises, and was an excellent 
rider. 

3. He had great courage and military skill, and his understanding 
was of a very superior order. He was an excellent son, husband and 
father ; and yet this man, with all his fine qualities, was the occasion 
of infinite misery to many thousands of people. The desire of pos- 
sessing himself of the whole island of Great Britain had so beset his 
mind, that every other consideration gave way to it. 

4. Edward did not remain long in the Holy Land after the attempt 
on his life which we have mentioned. He had reached Sicily, on his 
way home, when he heard the news of his father's death. He set out 
at once for England. As he passed through Burgundy, he received 
an invitation from the duke of that country to a tournament which he 
was then preparing. 

5. Edward possessed too much of the spirit of a knight to decline 
any opportunity of gaining honor, and he was glad to display his skill 
in these martial exercises to the foreign nobles. 

0. A tournament was a great entertainment given by some king, 
or rich prince, at which a mock combat was held, for the knights to 
display their skill in the use of arms. When a prince had resolved to 
hold a tournament, he sent a messenger, called a herald, to the 
neighboring courts and countries to publish his design, and to invite 
all brave and loyal knights to honor the intended solemnity with their 
presence. 

7. This invitation was accepted with the greatest joy, and a vast 
number of ladies and gentlemen commonly assembled. All the 
knights who proposed to enter the lists, that is, to take part in the ex- 
ercises, hung up their shields, each of which, as we before stated, 
bore the particular device of the knightly owner, on the walls of a 
neighboring monastery, where they were viewed by all. 

8. If a lady touched one of the shields, it w T as considered as an 
accusation against its owner, who was immediately brought before the 
judges of the tournaments — who were generally some old knights 
whose fighting days were past — tried with great solemnity, and if 
found guilty of defaming a lady, or of having done anything unbe- 
coming a true and courteous knight, he was degraded and expelled 
the assembly with every mark of infamy. 

9. The lists, as the space enclosed for the combat was called, were 
surrounded with lofty towers, and scaffolds of wood, in wiiich the 
kings and queens, princes and princesses, lords, ladies, and knights, 
with the judges, marshals, heralds, and minstrels, were seated in 
their proper places, all arrayed in their richest dresses. 

10. The combatants, nobly mounted and completely armed, were 
conducted into the lists by the respective ladies in whose honor they 

ance. 3. What of his character ? 4. Where did he hear of his father's death ? 5. What 
delayed him on his way home? 6. What was a tournament ? How was the intention 
to hold one announced? 7. What did the knights do who proposed to take part? S. 
What followed if a lady touched the shield of any knight? 9. What were the lists? 1(» 
11* 



126 EDWARD'S ARRIVAL IN ENGLAND. — .274. 

were to fight, with bands of music, and amidst the shouts of thib 
numerous spectators. In these exercises, representations were given 
of all the different feats of actual war, from a single combat to a gen- 
eral action, with all the different kinds of arms, as spears, swords, 
battle-axes and daggers. 

11. At *he conclusion of every day's entertainment, the judges 
declared the victors, and the prizes were presented to the happy 
knights by the noblest or most beautiful lady present. The victors 
were then conducted in triumph to the palace ; their armor was taken 
olfbv the ladies of the court ; they were dressed in the richest robes, 
seated at trie table of the sovereign, and treated with every possible 
mark of distinction. 

12. These tournaments were considered merely as friendly trials 
of skill. But the lives of many brave champions were lost in them. 
Sometimes the passions of the combatants became excited, and the 
mock combat gave occasion to one of a more serious character. 

13. This was the case at the very tournament of Chalons, to 
which Edward had just accepted an invitation. He and his com- 
panions were so successful, that the French knights, provoked at 
their superiority, made a serious attack upon them, which was re- 
pulsed, and so much blood was idly shed in the quarrel, that it has 
received the name of the little Battle of Chalons. 



CHAPTER LXXI. 

Edward after his return to England. — Reply of Earl War- 
renne to an Inquiry of the King. — Conquest of Wales. — 
Massacre of the Welsh Bards. 

1. Edward did not arrive in England till May, 1274. His first 
business was to restore order in the kingdom, arid to put a stop to the 
robberies and murders which were being constantly committed in all 
parts. During the reigns of the late weak monarchs, great encroach- 
ments had been made upon the royal estates by the nobles. 

2. Edward therefore appointed commissioners to inquire into the 
titles by which all persons held their estates. Among the first, Earl 
Warrenne was asked to produce the instrument or title by which he 
held his. 

3. "By this," said he, drawing an old rusty sword out of the 
scabbard ; and added, in a tone not to be trifled with, " William of 
Normandy did not conquer the kingdom for himself alone ; my ances- 
tor was a joint adventurer in the enterprise : and I am determined to 
maintain what has from that period remained without question in 



What of the combatants? II. What happened at the conclusion of each day 'a sports ? 

12. Were lives ever lost at the tournaments ? 13. What of the tournament at Chalons J 

LXXf. 1. When did Edward arrive in England? What were his first acts? What 

hujuiry did he set on foot? 3. What was Earl Warrenne's reply to the inquiry? 4. 



CONQUEST OF WALES. — 1 2S2. 



127 



my family." This answer made Edward sensible of the danger lie 
was incurring, and he put an end to the inquiry. 

4. Edward appears always to have had a great dislike to the 
Jews, and this was very much increased by his expedition to the 
Holy Land. One of his first acts after his return was to confiscate 
all the property, and to banish from the kingdom all the people of 
that nation. Since that time there have been very few Jews in Eng- 
land, and the business of lending money, which had hitherto been 
confined to them, was now taken up by the Lombards, and other 
foreigners. 

5. Edward could not long remain without some employment. So 
he resolved to chastise the Welsh, because they had taken part with 
the rebels in his father's reign, and because their prince had refused 
to do homage to himself as his sovereign. 

6. Advancing into their country with an army he completely de- 
feated them in a battle fought December 11th, 1282. Their prince, 
named Llewellyn, was slain, and his brother, David, taken prisoner, 
and executed like a common traitor. 




The death of Llewellyn. 

7. Edward now took undisputed possession of Wales. Fearing 
that the Welsh Bards might, by their music and poetry, in which 
were celebrated the heroic deeds of their ancestors, revive in the 
minds of their young countrymen the idea of military valor, and 
ancient glory, the conqueror barbarously ordered them all to be put to 
death. 

8. It is said by the old monkish historians, that Edward, having 
assembled the leaders of the Welsh, promised to give them a prince 

What is said of the Jews? 5. What expedition did Edward next eneage in ? 6. When 
was the decisive battle fought in Wales? 7. What of the Welsh Bards? 8. What did 
Edward promise the assembled Welsh leaders? 9. How did he perform his promise? 
What is the title of the king's eldest son ? 



128 



THE MAID OF NORWAY. — 1286. 



of unexceptionable manners, a Welshman by birth, and one who could 
speak no other language. Captivated by this description, they poured 
forth violent acclamations of joy, and promises of obedience. 




The first Prince of Wales. 

9. The king then presented to them his second son, Edward, an 
infant, who had lately been born in the castle of Caernarvon. The 
death of his eldest son, soon after, made young Edward heir to the 
crown ; and from that time the principality of Wales has given the 
title to the eldest son of the Kins- of England. 



CHAPTER LXXII. 

The Maid of Norway. — Edivard interferes in the Affairs of 

Scotland. 

1. We have now shown how well Edward succeeded in part of 
his plan to unite the whole island under his own dominion. We shall 
next see how nearly Scotland also was thrown into his grasp. 

2. The kings of Scotland and England had lived for a long time 
in singular harmony, considering how apt neighbors are to quarrel. 
Alexander III. had married Edward's sister, who died, leaving one 
child, Margaret, who married the King of Norway, ami died, leaving 
an only daughter about three years old, commonly called the Maid of 
Norivay. 

3. Alexander himself died in 1286, and his infant grandchild be- 
came heiress of his dominions. Edward proposed to the King of 
Norway that the Prince of Wales should marry his daughter, the 
little Queen of Scotland. Such early marriages were then not un- 

LXXII. — 2, Who was the Maid of Norway ? 3. What proposal did Edward make in 






AFFAIRS OF SCOTLAND. — 1286. 129 

common Indeed, Alexander and his queen had been betrothed when 
neither of them was a year old. 

4. The King of Norway and the parliament of Scotland agreed 
to the proposal ; but the death of the young queen, on her voyage to 
Scotland, put an end to the project. The demise of a girl three years 
old was never before so much lamented, nor has ever since produced 
such disastrous consequences. 

5. What might have happened had she lived we know not ; but 
her death prevented the union between the two nations, and plunged 
Scotland into long and bloody private and public wars. No less than 
thirteen competitors for the throne appeared. Robert Bruce and John 
Baliol had the strongest claims, and they agreed to refer the decision 
to Edward. 

6. This was a very common mode of settling disputes in that age. 
Edward, whose reputation was very high among his contemporaries, 
had before been selected to decide controversies between states and 
princes. As the parties to these disputes had been distant, and his 
own interest was not concerned, his decisions had been wise and 
equitable. 

7. The temptation in the present case was too strong for him to 
resist. He came to the borders of Scotland with a powerful army, 
and insisted that his supremacy over Scotland should be acknowledged, 
before proceeding in the cause which had been referred to him. The 
Scots, after great hesitation, agreed to this. 

8. He then required that all the places of strength should be put 
into his hands ; and when this was done, he gave judgment in favor 
of Baliol, who was proclaimed King of Scotland. But he obtained 
only the name of king. Possessing little ability, he was treated like 
a child by Edward, who usurped all the power, and was disposed to 
treat the Scots like slaves. 

9. But they were not of a temper to submit tamely to this. They 
took up arms, but were defeated at Dunbar. Edward now treated 
Scotland like a conquered province. He obliged Baliol to resign his 
crown, and also ordered all the records and monuments of antiquity 
to be destroyed, and carried to England with him the regalia of Scot- 
land, as the crown, sceptre, and other symbols of royalty are called. 

10. But there was one loss which the Scots felt more sensibly 
than all. That was the stone chair at Scone, in which the kings of 
Scotland had been wont to sit when they were crowned, and to which 
a superstitious value was attached. This was carried to England, 
and is still to be seen in Westminster Abbey. 

reeard to her? 4. What prevented its execution ? 5. Who claimed the crown of Scot- 
land? To whose decision were the claims referred? 6. What is said of Edward's de- 
cisions in other cases ? 7. What did he require before he considered the question ? 8 
In whose favor did he decide it? How did he treat the Scots? 9. How did the Scots 
bear his treatment ? Where were they defeated ? What did Edward do after his vic» 
tory at Dunbar ? 10. What loss did they feel the most ? 

9 



130 WILLIAM WALLACE. — 1297. 



CHAPTER LXXIII. 

Wallace. — Singular Expedient of an English Nobleman to 
inform Robert Bruce of impending Danger. — Edward's 
Vow. — How it was fulfilled. — Death of Edioard. 

1. After the battle of Dunbar, Edward appointed Earl War- 
renne to be governor of Scotland, and gave all the offices to English- 
men. The Scots groaned bitterly under this degradation ; 'and in 
1297, William Wallace stood forth, though only a private gentleman 
of small property, to rescue his fallen country. 

2. He was soon joined by several of the nobility; and, notwith- 
standing the impediments he met with from some of the nobles, he 
maintained the glorious struggle for eight years, but with various 
success. At one time he pushed his victorious arms into England ; 
but at another, his cause was nearly ruined at Falkirk, where Edward 
gained a complete victory. At last, in 1305, he was betrayed intc 
the hands of the English, who put him to death. 

3. John Baliol being dead, Robert Bruce, son of the former com- 
petitor, was generally recognized as the legal heir to the crown of 
Scotland. Although he was residing at the court of Edward, his 
heart was with his countrymen, and he was constantly contriving 
how he might strike the most effective blow for their rights, as well 
as his own, and for this purpose he corresponded with some patriotic 
nobles at home. 

4. One of these proved treacherous to the cause, and informed 
Edward of all their plans. Edward did not at once commit Bruce to 
prison, for such of the nobles as were not in his power would have 
taken the alarm, and made their escape. So he put spies upon him, 
and had all his motions strictly watched. 

5. An English noble, Bruce's intimate friend, was apprized of his 
danger ; but not daring, amidst so many jealous eyes, to hold any 
conversation with him, he hit upon an expedient to give him warning 
that it was full time he should make his escape. He sent him a pair 
of gilt spurs, and a purse of gold, which he pretended to have bor- 
rowed from him, and left it to the sagacity of Robert to discover the 
meaning of the present. 

6. Bruce immediately contrived the means of escape ; and as the 
ground was at that time covered with snow, he had the precaution to 
order his horse to be shod with his shoes reversed, that he might de- 
ceive those who should track his path over the open fields and cross- 
roads, through which he proposed to travel. 

7. In a few days he arrived at Dumfries, where he fortunately 
found a great number of the Scottish nobility assembled, and the 
traitor, John Cummin, among them. They were not a little sur- 

LXXIII. — 1. What did Edward do after the victory at Dunbar ? What is said of 
William Wallace? 3. Who was Robert Bruce'/ Relate the particulars of his escape 
trom Edward's couu? 7. What did he do at Dumfries? 9. Relate the ceremony with 



EDWARD II. — 1307. 131 

prised at Bruce's unexpected arrival, and still more so when he stated 
to them the occasion of his journey. 

8. They readily agreed at once to take up arms, with the excep- 
tion of Cummin, who did all he could to persuade them to remain 
quiotly in subjection to Edward. To punish him for his former 
treachery, and to prevent his doing any mischief for the future, he was 
put 1 3 death. 

9. When Edward heard of these proceedings, he was enraged 
beyo.id measure, and vowed the destruction of The Bruce. He began 
his expedition into Scotland with a singular ceremony. He assembled 
all his nobles in Westminster Abbey, and, with many solemnities, 
caused two live swans, adorned with bells of gold, to be brought in. . 

10. By these swans, he took a solemn oath that he would march 
into Scotland, and never return till he had brought it into subjection. 
He kept his vow ; but not in the way that he intended, for he did not 
subjugate Scotland, and he never returned. He spent many months in 
a vain pursuit of Bruce and his adherents, w r ho contrived to conceal 
themselves among the mountains, seizing every opportunity of annoy- 
ing the English. 

11. At last, Edward, exasperated by disappointment, sent for all the 
forces in his dominions to meet him at Carlisle. Before they could 
arrive, he was taken very ill. It was reported that he was dead, and 
to show the falsehood of the report, he set out from Carlisle, but after 
advancing a few miles he was compelled to stop. A tent was set up 
by the road-side, in which he expired, July 7th, 1307. 

12. Before he died, he charged his eldest son, Edward, to send 
his heart to the Holy Land, to carry his body with the army into 
Scotland, and not to bury it till he had made a complete conquest of 
that country ; and never to recall Piers Gaveston, a wicked favorite 
of the son, whom the father had banished. Edward was seventy 
years old, and had reigned thirty-five years 



CHAPTER LXXIV. 

Edward II. — Battle of Bannockburn. — The Effect of the 
Defeat upon the English. 

1. When Edward I. died, his son was twenty-two years of age, 
ind the English had conceived such a good opinion of him, that they 
dioughl they should be happy under his government ; but the first 
acts of his reign, which were in direct disobedience of his father's 
dying injunctions, blasted their hopes. Abandoning the invasion of 
Scotland, he disbanded his army, and recalling Gaveston from banish- 
ment, he gave himself up to idle amusements. 

which Edward began his expedition to Scotland. 10. How was his vow kept? 1 1. Re- 
btta the particulars of his death. 12. What was his charge to his son ? How old was 
he? How long did he rei' r n? 



132 BATTLE OF BANNOCKBURN. - 1314. 



2. Edward II. resembled his father in the beauty of his person, but 
not in the qualities of his mind. He was weak, passionate, and irreso- 
lute, and addicted to the vice of excessive drinking. He was devo- 
tedly attached to his favorites, who were without exception ill-chosen 
and unworthy persons. The only kingly quality he possessed was 
personal courage ; but this, as it was not guided by discretion, was 
of no service to himself or his country. 

3. Gaveston was loaded with honors and riches by the king, of 
whose favor he was very vain. He treated the nobles with the 
utmost insolence, and used to divert himself and his royal master by 
turning them into ridicule, and giving them nicknames. This con- 
duct gave great offence to the nobles, which was heightened by the 
king's appointing Gaveston to be guardian of the kingdom, when he 
went to France to marry Isabella, daughter of Philip the Fair. 

4. A confederacy was formed against him, at the head of which 
was the Earl of Lancaster, the king's cousin, the richest and most 
powerful baron in the kingdom. The king was required to send 
Gaveston out of the country, and he affected to comply with the de- 
mand ; but instead of sending him home to Gascony, as the barons 
intended, he made him governor of Ireland. 

5. In about a year, Gaveston was recalled to court, where he be- 
haved as insolently as ever. The nobles, finding remonstrances to 
be vain, broke out into open rebellion. At last Gaveston was taken 
prisoner by the rebels and put to death. The king was thrown into 
agonies of grief by the death of his favorite ; but he had so com- 
pletely lost the affections of the people, that he had no means of 
avenging it, and was obliged to accept such terms of peace as the 
barons chose to offer. 

6. In the mean time, Bruce, by his courage and prudence, had 
nearly rid his country of its invaders. At last Edward resolved to 
make one vigorous effort, and to reduce Scotland by a single blow. 
He entered that country at the head of the largest army that had ever 
marched out of England, and on the 24th of June, 1314, arrived 
within three miles of Sterling, where he saw the Scottish army 
drawn up on the banks of the little river Bannock. 

7. Bruce had only been able to muster about thirty thousand men 
to oppose the immense host of the King of England ; but he neg- 
lected nothing that could facilitate his success. He placed his army 
on a rising ground, with the river in front, and a bog on one side ; 
and to make the approach still more difficult, he caused pits to be dug 
and filled with sharp stakes, and the tops covered over with turf and 
leaves. 

8. The English halted for the night; and, despising the little 
army opposed to them, spent the time in feasting and merriment ; 
while the Scots were occupied in devotion, and in mutual exhortations 
to conquer or to die. The Earl of Gloucester, who commanded the 
English cavalry, was the first to advance, and falling into one of the 
pits, was the first to die on that disastrous day. 

LXXIV. — 1. How did Edward II. obey his father's dying commands'.' 2. What is 
said of his character* ? 3. What of Gaveston ? 4. What did the nobles do? How did 
the king comply with their demand? 5. What became of Gaveston ? 6. What prepara- 






FAMINES. — 1316. 33 

9. The cavalry, having lost its leader, was thrown into contusion, 
and completely routed. While the infantry were alarmed with this 
unfortunate beginning, they observed what appeared to be another 
army marching leisurely over the heights as if to surround them. 
This was, in fact, a number of the wagoners and boys, whom Bruce 
had furnished with banners, and who, at a distance, made a very 
warlike show. 

10. The stratagem succeeded completely. The English threw 
down their arms and fled without striking a blow, and Edward was 
himself obliged to fly, to avoid being made a prisoner. They were 
pursued with great slaughter for ninety miles, till they reached Ber- 
wick. Such was the battle of Bannockburn, which secured the inde- 
pendence of Scotland, and which is remembered as the greatest over- 
throw which the English have sustained since the Conquest. 

11. They did not recover from the effects of this defeat for a long 
time. They were so much dispirited and cast down, that they lost 
all courage, so that for several years no superiority of numbers could 
encourage them to keep the field against the Scots. 

12. A little humiliation, probably, did them no harm, for Frois- 
sart, the French chronicler, tells us, " that the English were so proud 
and haughty, that they could not behave to the people of other nations 
with civility." 



CHAPTER LXXV. 

Famines, and the causes of their frequency at this period. — 
Agriculture. — Customs in the Fourteenth Century. 

1. To add to the distresses which England suffered from the con- 
duct of the barons, there occurred, in 1316, a most grievous famine. 
Provisions became so scarce that the nobles, whose magnificence was 
principally shown in the number of their retainers, were obliged to 
discard many of them. 

2. These people, having been accustomed to lead idle lives in the 
castles of their lords, commonly turned robbers to obtain the means 
of living ; and this they did in such great numbers, that the country 
was overrun by them. 

3. Famines were of more frequent occurrence in those days than 
at present, because agriculture was conducted in a very unskilful 
manner, being left entirely to the lowest classes, and considered be- 
neath the attention of a gentleman. It was one of the grounds of 
complaint against Edward II., that he was fonder of agriculture thar. 
of war. 

4. That sagacious monarch, Edward I., did not think it beneatb 

tion did Edward make against Scotland ? 7, 8, 9, 10. Relate the particulars of the hattU 
of Bannockburn. 11. What was its effect on the English character? 12. What does 
Froissart say of the English? 

LXXV". — I. What distressing event occurred in 1316? 2. What was one consequence? 
3 What of famines in those times? 4. What of husbandry? 5. W jat of horlicul 

12 



134 HUGH SPENCER. — 1322. 

his consideration, for in a book of laws made in his time, there are 
very particular directions when and how to till the ground. As the 
people had no means of fattening cattle in the winter, salted meat was 
used during the whole time that they could not feed them in the 
pastures on grass. 

5. Horticulture was not entirely neglected. The houses of the 
nobility had commonly some sort of garden, or " pkasance," attached 
to them ; and all the monasteries had orchards and gardens, including 
a " herberie" or physic garden, the chief medicines of the times being 
prepared from herbs. The list of culinary vegetables at this time was 
very small, there being few besides carrots, parsnips and cabbages in 
general use. 

6. Notwithstanding the bad husbandry, the nobles and rich peo- 
ple contrived to live very sumptuously. Edward II. issued a procla- 
mation, forbidding his subjects to have more that two courses at din- 
ner. It is to be hoped that the king set the example by making a 
reform at court. At a marriage feast of Henry the Third's brother, 
there were thirty thousand dishes. 

7. It was the custom for kings to be attended at the table by their 
physicians, to tell them what to eat — a necessary precaution, since 
their banquets were so profuse. There were but two regular meala 
in the day, dinner and supper. The time of dinner, even at court, 
was at nine in the morning, and the time of supper at five in the after- 
noon. 

8. These hours were thought to be friendly to health and long life, 
according to the following verses, which were then often repeated. 

Lever a cinq, diner a neuf, 
Souper a cinq, coucher a neuf. 
Fait vivre dans nonante et neuf. 

To rise at five, to dine at nine, 
To sup at five, to bed at nine, 
Makes a man live to ninety-nine. 



CHAPTER LXXVI. 

"Edward II. receives Hugh Spencer into his Favor. — He 'is 
dethroned and cruelly murdered by Isabella and Roger 
Mortimer. 

1. Edward II. did not possess strength of mind enough to exist 
without some favorite. A Welsh gentleman, named Hugh Spenser, 
succeeded to Gaveston's place in the affection of the king, and in the 
mvy and hatred of the nobles. Edward' lavished favors upon him 

ture? 6. What of the style of living among the nobles? 7. What were the hours for 
n^als ? 
I XXVI. — 1. Who succeeded Gaveston in the king's favor? What was the conse- 



ISABELLA AND ROGER MORTIMER. — 1326. 135 

and his father, who was also named Hugh Spenser, as he had upon 
Gaveston, and the like consequences ensued. 

2. Both parties resorted to arms. At last, in March, 1322, the 
Earl of Lancaster was taken prisoner. After a short trial, he was 
condemned to death, and, on the 22nd of March, this once powerful 
nobleman, placed on a miserable horse, and clothed in a shabby dress, 
was led out of Pontefract, which had been his own chief place of resi- 
dence, and taken to a hill near the town, where he was beheaded. 

3. The question of doing homage for the territories held by the 
King of England in France had always, as will be recollected, been 
a source of contention between the two countries. A dispute now 
arose as to Edward's doing homage for Guienne, which had been 
restored to the English crown. 

4. In 1325 Isabella was sent over to France to accommodate mat- 
ters between her husband and her brother. She found at Paris a 
large number of nobles who had been obliged to leave England in the 
late rebellions. The hatred which she herself felt for the Spensers 
led to a secret friendship and intercourse with the exiles. 

5. One of these, named Roger Mortimer, a man of infamous char- 
acter, gained such an influence over her, that, yielding entirely to his 
counsels, she refused to return to England, and set herself up in re- 
bellion against her husband. By artifice she obtained possession of 
the person of her son, the Prince of Wales, and then determined to 
make an hostile invasion of England. 

6. As her brother disapproved her conduct, he would yield her no 
assistance. She applied, therefore, to the Earl of Hainault, and, by 
promising her son in marriage to his daughter, Philippa, procured from 
him a small fleet and some troops, with which she landed in England, 
September 24th, 1326. The Spensers were so universally detested. 
that many nobles joined the queen, merely out of hatred to them. 

7. The king, abandoned by everybody, fled into Wales, and sought 
to conceal himself; but he was soon discovered, and confined at Ken- 
il worth castle. The Spensers being also taken prisoners, were put to 
death without any form of trial. 

8. In the mean time, Edward, Prince of Wales, a boy of fourteen 
years old, had been placed by his mother and Mortimer at the head of 
the rebel army, and declared regent. But as he possessed no author- 
ity, the kingdom was in a deplorable state. The mobs of London 
and other cities committed robberies and murders with impunity, and 
were called by the name of the Riflers. 

9. The queen and Mortimer, having the king in their power, de- 
clared him incapable of governing, and proclaimed the prince king 
in his stead. But the latter refused to be king in his father's life- 
time, without his consent. The parliament, who were completely 
subservient to the queen and her favorite, sent a deputation to inform 
Edward of his deposition. 

quence? 2. What was the fate of Lancaster ? 3. What was a subject of dispute with 
France? 4. What did Isabella do? 5. What of Roger Mortimer? 6. What of the 
queen's attempts to get assistance ? 7. What became of the queen ? Wha- of the Spen 
sers? S. Who were the Riflers? 9, 10, 11, 12, 13. Relate the particulars of the king's 
treatmeut When was .ie murdered ? How old was he? 



136 EDWARD III. - 1327. 

10. As soon as the miserable sovereig saw the deputies, he faint 
ed ; and when he recovered and w r as told leir errand, he said to them 
that he was in their power, and must si >mit to their will Judge 
Trussel, one of the party, then, in the n ne of the people of Eng- 
land, renounced all fealty to Edward of rnarvon, as he was styled 
fiom the place of his birth; and Sir Thoi is Blount, high steward, 
bxoke his staff, and declared all the king's oncers discharged from his 
service. 

11. Thus ended the reign of Edward II., a period of nearly twenty 
years of public disgrace and private calamity. But his own miseries 
did not end with it. He was committed to the custody of some 
wretches, who did all they could to kill him by ill usage. They hur- 
ried him about from castle to castle, in the middle of the night, and 
but half clothed. 

12. One day, for sport, they ordered him to be shaved in the open 
fields, with water out of a dirty ditch, and refused to let him have any 
other. The unhappy monarch shed tears at this treatment, and, while 
the tears were trickling down his cheeks, said, with a smile of grief, 
" Here is clean warm water, whether you will or no." 

13. But this method of killing him proved very slow, and compas- 
sion for the king's sufferings was working a change in the feelings of 
the people. Mortimer, therefore, gave directions that he should be 
murdered. These were executed with circumstances of the greatest 
cruelty, on the 21st of September, 1327, Edward being then in the 
forty-third year of his age. 

FAMILY OF EDWARD II. » 

WIFE. 
Isabella, daughter of Philip the Fair, King of France. 

SONS. 

Edward, Prince of Wales, who succeeded to the throne. 
John, Earl of Cornwall. 

DAUGHTERS. 
Jane, married to David Bruce, King of Scotland. 
Eleanor, married to Reginald, Count of Gueldres. 



CHAPTER LXXVIL 

Edward III. — War with Scotland. — Of the Scottish Troops. 
— Narroio Escape of Edward. — Peace with Scotland. 

1 . We have now to tell the story of a king who is esteemed one 
of the greatest of English sovereigns, though he has been more gen- 
erally admired for his bravery and military skill than for his many 
other better qualities. Edward III. was tall and majestic in his per- 
son, and his countenance bore a very noble expression. 

LXXVIL— 1. What is said of the person of Edward II. ? 2. What of his abilities? 



WAR WITH SCOTLAND. — 1330. 137 

2 His address was pleasing, and he excelled in all manly and 
warlike exercises. He was also well versed in the learning- of his 
time, and had an excellent understanding ; but, unfortunately for his 
country, all the powers of his mind were early engrossed by one ruin- 
ous desire, that of making conquests. 

3. He had, at the very beginning of his reign, an opportunity of 
displaying his abilities. As he was only fifteen years old at the time 
of his father's deposition, the government had been entrusted to a re- 
gency consisting of twelve persons. But he was allowed to appear at 
the head of the army destined to act against the Scots, who thought 
the present a favorable time to retaliate on the English for all the 
sufferings they had brought on Scotland. 

4. The English army was so much superior in numbers to the 
Scottish, that in a battle in the open field the former would probably 
have been successful. But the great difficulty was to obtain this ad- 
vantage. The larger part of the Scottish tioops were light-armed, 
and all their baggage consisted of a bag of oatmeal, which each sol- 
dier carried, to be used in case of necessity ; together with a thin 
plate of iron, on which he instantly baked the meal into cake in the 
open field. 

5. But his chief subsistence was the cattle which he seized, and 
his cooking was as expeditious as all his other operations. After 
flaying the animal, he placed the skin, loose, and hanging in the form 
of a bag, upon some stakes ; he poured water into it, kindled a fire 
below, and thus made it serve the purpose of a pot. 

6. These troops, being mounted on small horses, passed rapidly 
from one place to another even quite distant. The smoke and flame 
of burning villages would direct the English to the place of their en- 
campment, but before they could arrive there, the Scots were already 
far away. At one time Edward lost the track of them altogether, 
and although he offered a large reward to any one who should bring 
him an account of their movements, it was several days before he 
received the wished-for intelligence. 

7. Upon one occasion he ran a very narrow risk of being taken 
himself. Douglas, one of the bravest and most patriotic of the Scot- 
tish nobles, having obtained the password, and surveyed exactly the 
situation of the English camp, entered it secretly in the night time, 
wilh a body of two hundred determined soldiers. 

8. He advanced directly to the royal tent, but some of Edward's 
attendants, waking at this critical moment, gave the alarm. His 
chaplain and chamberlain sacrificed their lives for his safety, and the 
darkness favored his attempt to escape. 

9. Robert Bruce, finding that he had to contend with a far more 
formidable antagonist than the late king, readily accepted proposals 
for peace, which were made by the regency. All claim to homage 
was renounced on behalf of the English king, and Robert was ac 
knowledged as independent sovereign of Scotland. To cement th< 

3. What was his a?e when he came to the throne? To whom was the government en 
trusted ? 4, 5. What is said of the Scottish troops? 6. What of Edward's attempts t 
bring them to battle? 7, 8. Relate the attempt to take Edward. 9. Whnt were th 
terms of peace ? 

12* 



138 MORTIMER PUT TO DEATH. — 1330. 

union, it was agreed that David, the heir to th« Scottish throne- 
should marry Jane, the sister of Edward. 



CHAPTER LXXVIH. 

Edward III., having put Mortimer to Death, governs the 
Kingdom with great Prudence. — He makes War on Scot- 
land. — Claims the Crown of France. 

1. In pursuance of the agreement with the Earl of Hainault, Ed- 
ward was married, in 1328, to his daughter, Philippa. She proved 
to be a queen of the highest and most irreproachable character, and 
no less distinguished for her sense and intrepidity, when the occasion 
called these qualities forth, than for her benevolence and gentleness. 

2. Although there was nominally a regency, yet the sovereign 
power was in fact usurped by Mortimer, who adopted such measures 
as he pleased without consulting anybody. His wickedness and ra- 
pacity made him more deservedly odious than either Gaveston or the 
Spensers had been. Although the greatest care was taken to conceal 
them from him, the abuses which were practised could not escape the 
observation of so sagacious a prince as Edward. 

3. When he reached his eighteenth year, feeling himself capable 
of governing, he determined to make an effort to throw off the yoke 
of the insolent favorite of his mother. But he was so surrounded by 
the spies of Mortimer, that he was obliged to use as much secrecy 
and precaution as if he were plotting treason. 

4. He engaged the assistance of many of the nobles, and then de- 
termined to seize upon the queen and Mortimer, who were residing 
at Nottingham castle. This castle was kept closely guarded, and 
though the king was allowed to enter it, yet it was with very few 
attendants. The gates were locked every evening, and the keys car- 
ried to the queen. 

5. But Edward contrived to find an entrance for his friends, through 
a subterranean passage. In spite of the entreaties of the queen, who 
called upon her son " to have pity on the gentle Mortimer," he was 
seized and carried away prisoner to Westminster. He was soon 
afterwards hanged at Tyburn ; and Eleanor, being deprived of her 
ill-gotten riches, was confined, during the rest of her life, to her own 
house at Rising. 

6. Edward now proceeded, with great industry and judgment, in 
settling the affairs of his kingdom ; but unhappily his love of war 
soon called him off from the arts of peace. In 1331 he renewed the 
war with Scotland, and in less than a year, drove David, an infant of 
only seven years old, from the throne which his father had so hardly 
won. 

LXXVIH. — 1. Whom did Edward III. marry? When? 2. What is said of Morti- 
mer? 3. What of the feelings of the king? 4, 5. Relate the fate of Mortimer and the 
queen. 6. What did Edward proceed to do ? When was the war with Scotland re- 



EDWARD III. CLAIMS THE CROWN OF FRANCE. 139 

7. David took refuge in France, and a son of John Baliol was 
made King of Scotland, if king lie could be called, who was only a 
tool in the hands of Edward, and who was placed on the throne and 
displaced from it, as the party of the English or The Bruce pre- 
vailed. 

8. At last, Edward, tired of this war, in which no glory was to be 
gained, determined to abandon it, and to apply all his strength to 
enforce some claims which he asserted to the crown of France. Tn 
order that the reader may understand the nature of this claim, 
which was the occasion of long and bloody wars between the two 
countries, we must now deviate a little from the direct path of his- 
tory. 

9. There is an old law in France, called the Salic Law, one of 
the provisions of which excludes females from inheriting the crown. 
For a. long series of years no occasion had occurred for applying the 
rule, so that its very existence came to be questioned. But Louis, 
oldest brother of Eleanor, having died and left only one daughter, the 
matter was brought before the parliament of Paris. The Salic Law 
was declared to be in force, and a brother of the late king succeeded 
to the crown. 

10. Upon his death without male heirs, the third brother mounted 
the throne. As he died without leaving sons, the crown passed to 
Philip of Valois, an uncle's son, as being the next male heir. But 
Edward affirmed himself to be the next maie heir, being nephew to 
the late king, and contended that even if his mother could not be 
queen, still he might be king, as inheriting through her. 

11. But the whole claim had no foundation in law or justice, since 
if the Salic Law were not in force, then the daughter of Louis was 
entitled to the crown ; and if his other position was true, then the son 
of that daughter w r as the right heir. 

12. Edward did not at once insist on his pretensions, as he did not 
feel strong enough to contend with Philip, who was a prince distin- 
guished for valor and prudence. He even went so far as to do 
homage to Philip for Guienne, which was a direct acknowledgment 
of his title to the crown of France — a title which the French them- 
selves considered as indisputable. 

newed? 7. What was the result of this war? 8. What new claims did Edward put 
forth ? 9, 10. State the pretence for these claims. 11. What is said of tueir justice % 
12. By what act did Edward himself recognize the title of Philip? 



140 



EDWARD III. DEFEATS THE FRENCH FLEET. — 1340. 



CHAPTER LXXIX. 

Edward III. makes War upon Philip, King of France, who is 
informed by his Fool of the Destruction of his Fleet. — Ed- 
ivard, the Black Prince, makes his first appearance at the 
Battle of Cressy. — Cannon used. 







Edward, the Black Prince. 

1. At length, some other causes of disappointment against King 
Philip having arisen, Edward commenced his preparations for the 
invasion of France. He was thus occupied for two years. In 1338, 
he landed at Antwerp, but found himself opposed by so formidable an 
airny of Frenchmen, that he was obliged to content himself with send- 
ing "King Philip a defiance, and then retreat to England and disband 
his army. 

2. Notwithstanding all his mighty preparations had produced no 
result but to involve him in debt to an immense amount, Edward did 
not give up the project of conquering France. In 1340 he sailed 
again, and, meeting the French fleet, completely defeated it. 

3. This defeat was so completely unexpected on the part of the 
French, that no one dared to tell Philip of it, till at last it was hinted 

LXXIX. — 1. When did Edward III. first invade France'/ With what success? 2 
What was his success in his next attempt against France? 3, 4, 5.- What is said ol 



EDWARD, THE BLACK PRINCE. — 1546. 14l 

to him by his jester. It appears that it was customary in those days 
for kings and nobles to have amongst their attendants one whose busi- 
ness it was to play the fool, and who was privileged to say or do any- 
thing that was ridiculous, for the sake of diverting his master. 

4. The fool had an appropriate dress of many diiferent colors ; he 
also wore a cap, made with two great ears, to resemble asses' ears, 
and he had little sheep-bells fastened to diiferent parts of his dress. 
As the jester was generally a favorite with his master, he was fre- 
quently employed to communicate any news which it was feared 
might excite the anger of the lord. 

5. Upon the present occasion, King Philip's jester said, in his 
hearing, "O what dastardly cowards those English are!" "How 
so?" said the king. "Because," rejoined the fool, "they did not 
jump into the sea, as our brave men have done." The king then 
demanded an explanation, and heard the whole disastrous story. 

6. But this victory did nothing to further Edward's object. He 
now found himself involved in great difficulties. He had drained the 
country of money, and was so much involved in debt that he could 
borrow no more without good security. He had even pledged his 
crown itself, and the queen's jewels. 

7. Still, nothing could divert him from his unjust desire to make 
himself King of France. In 1346 he again landed in that country 
with an army, and accompanied by his son, who has been called the 
Black Prince, it is supposed from the color of r&s armor. 

3. The King of France assembled a large army to oppose the 
invaders. After much manoeuvring, in which Edward displayed great 
skill, the English army, on the 25th of August, established itself in a 
very strong position on the plain of Cressy. Philip made his appear- 
ance there on the same day, but as his soldiers were fatigued with a 
rapid march, he ordered them to halt for the night, that they might 
rest and refresh themselves ; but they were too much excited to obey 
the orders, and continued to advance. 

9. The English forces were disposed in the best manner, and had 
ample time to refresh themselves before the French came up. During 
this interval, Edward conferred the honor of knighthood on the Prince 
of Wales, and a large band of noble youths, who were expected so to 
behave in the approaching combat as to win their spurs; that is, show 
themselves worthy the distinction they had received. 

10. It is said that the front of Edward's army was protected by 
some pieces of cannon, the first that had yet been made use of in any 
battle in Europe. These cannon were very clumsy machines. They 
were composed of bars of iron, held together by hoops, and they com- 
monly burst at the third or fourth discharge. They were at first em- 
ployed only to shoot off darts and arrows. 

jesters? 7. Why was the Black Prince so called ? 8, 9, 10. When was the battie of 
Cressy fought? What is said of cannon? 



142 



BATTLE OF CRESSY. — 1346. 



CHAPTER LXXX. 

Battle of Cressy. — Death of the King of Bohemia. - 
Calais. — Story of Eustace de St. Pierre. 



Siege of 




Queen Philippe/ and Kins, Edward. 

1. It was about three o'clock in the afternoon when the French 
advanced troops came up with the English. A short bat severe 
thunder-storm suspended the commencement of the battle for yet half 
an hour. The sun then burst out brightly, darting his rays on the 
backs of the English, but full in the eyes of the French. 

2. The battle was commenced by archers on both sides. The 
superior discipline of the English at once became apparent. During 
the recent storm their bows had been carefully secured in the cases, 
and whilst their arrows now fell like hail, and with terrible execution, 
among the French, those of the latter all fell short of their mark, foi 
their bow-strings were wet and slackened. 

3. The battle soon became general. At the first onset, the part 
where the Black Prince was posted was furiously beset ; and the king, 
who had taken his station on the top of a windmill, from whence he 
could overlook the whole field, was importuned to go to his succor. 

4. " Is my son dead, wounded, or felled to the ground?" said Ed- 
ward. " Not so, thank God !" was the reply. " Nay, then, he has 
no aid from me," said the king ; "let him bear himself like a man ; 
in this battle he must win his spurs." 

5. After fighting till the close of evening, the French army were 
completely discomfited. The king fled, accompanied by only five 

LXXX. — 2. How did the battle of Cressy commence? In what was the better disci- 
pline of the English shown? 3, 4. What occurred in relation to the Black Prince 1 



SIEGE OF CALAIS. — 1346. 143 

knights and sixty men-at-arms, leaving- dead, on that bl-V/dy field, two 
kings, eleven high princes, eighty knights banneret, t//cive hundred 
knights, and nearly forty thousand private soldiers. 

6. The most remarkable death among so many prices was that 
of John, King of Bohemia, who was blind with age, and not well 
qualified to mix in the fight. When all seemed lost, the old man 
inquired for his son Charles, who was nowhere to be seen, having in 
tact been compelled to fly from the field. 

7. The father, getting no intelligence of his son, said to the knights 
who attended him, " Sirs, ye are my good knights and liegemen ; will 
ye conduct me so far into the battle that I may strike one good 
stroke with my sword 1" Four of his faithful attendants determined 
to gratify this wish, which despair had dictated. 

8. Tying the king's bridle-reins to their own, they rushed into the 
middle of the fight, where they soon met the death which their master 
seemed to court. The crest of the old king was three ostrich feath- 
ers, with the rnotto Ich dien, which means, / serve. This was aJopted 
by the Black Prince, in commemoration of this victory, and has been 
borne by the princes of Wales ever since. 

9. It was very desirable to Edward to possess some sea-port on the 
coast of France, through which he might be able at any time to intro- 
duce troops into that country ; and securing to himself a place of 
retreat, in case that should at any time be necessary. The city of 
Calais was just what he wanted, being, as may be seen on the map, 
the nearest to England of any port in France. 

10. It was likewise a very strong fortress, and easily defended, if 
the possessors had a fleet strong enough to keep open the access to 
it by sea. A more favorable opportunity could never occur to Edward 
for accomplishing his desire, since it must be a long time before Philip 
could assemble a new army. 

11. From the field of Cressy, therefore, Edward proceeded to 
Calais, which was too strongly fortified to be reduced by anything but 
famine. He stationed his fleet directly opposite the harbor, and built 
huts for his troops all around the town. He then waited patiently the 
result. 

12. John de Vienne, the governor of Calais, was a gallant knight, 
and resolved not to yield, so long as life could be sustained, in the 
hope that Edw r ard's patience would be tired out, and that he would 
abandon the siege. After this had lasted eleven months, the garrison 
were reduced to the necessity of eating horses, cats and dogs. When 
these failed, John de Vienne found himself obliged to surrender. 

13. After much hesitation, Edward agreed that on condition that 
six of their principal citizens should come to him barefooted, with 
ropes about their necks, all ready for execution, and bring him the 
keys of the town, he would spare the lives of the rest. The people; 
of Calais were greatly distressed when they heard these cruel 
terms. 

S. What was the result of the battle? What was the French loss? 6, 7, 8. Relit e tha 
death of the Kin? of Bohemia. What was his crest and motto? By whom is it now 
home? 9, It). What is said of Calais? 11. What moans did Edward adopt to lake ii } 
12. Who was the ecvernor? How long did the siege last? 13. What terms did Edward 



144 KNIGHTS OF THE GARTER. — 1349. 

14. Wh* tet they were deliberating on what was to )e done, Eustace 
de St. Pierre, one of the richest merchants of the town, offered him- 
self as the first of the six victims. His example inspired five others 
with equal courage, and, after a sorrowful parting with their friends, 
they appeared before Edward, who ordered them at once to be exe- 
cuted. 

15. It was in vain that the Black Prince and the nobles interceded 
for these victims, the king remained inexorable. At length Queen Phil- 
ippa, who had just arrived from England, where she had. at the head 
of the English troops, just gained a great victory over the Scots, and 
taken King David prisoner, threw herself on her knees before the 
king, and besought him, as a reward for the service she had done him, 
that he would pardon them. 

16. The king yielded to her solicitations, and she had them con- 
ducted to her tent, where she entertained them honorably, and sent 
them back to the town, loaded with presents. Edward took posses- 
sion of Calais, August 4th, 1347, and, turning out all the old inhab- 
itants, peopled it entirely with his own subjects. 



CHAPTER LXXXI. 

The Knights of the Garter. — Strange Fancy of some young 
Knights. — Origin of the Charter House School, 

1. The successes of Edward in France were checked by the 
appearance of a terrible pestilence, which raged throughout Europe 
for six years, and was so terrible as to be called the Black Death. We 
may take advantage of this pause to suspend our account of battle and 
bloodshed, and to say something of the manners and customs of this 
age. 

2. Edward III., as we may readily conceive, from his conduct 
towards his son in the battle of Cressy, had a great deal of the chiv- 
alric spirit. He sought to inspire his subjects with the like feeling. 
With this view, he held several* pompous tournaments, and loaded 
such as excelled in these martial sports with honors and rewards. 

3. With the same view, he instituted, in the year 1349, an order 
of knights, called Knights of the Garter. There is a common story, 
but it is not supported by authority, that at a court ball the Countess 
of Salisbury dropped her garter. The king, seeing the lady's confu- 
sion, good-naturedly took up the garter, and bound it round his own 
leg, saying, u Honi soit qui mat y pense," which means, " Evil to him 
who evil thinks." 

4. It was in memorial of this event, as the story proceeds, that 

grant on its surrender? 14. Who was the first to offer his life for his fellow-citizens? 
15 16. What became of the six victims? When did Edward take possession of Calais ? 
LXXXI. — 1. What checked Edward's war in France ? 2. What did Edward do to en- 
courage a martial spirit? 3. What is the common story of the origin of the Knights of 
t lie Garter? 4. What other origin is assigned to it? 5. What is said of this order? 



ORIGIN OF THE CHARTER HOUSE SCHOOL. — 1341. 145 

the order of the Garter was instituted, and the above words adopted 
as the motto. Bat a much more honorable, if less gallant origin, is 
generally assigned to it. It is supposed to be derived from Richard 
I., who gave a leathern strap to gird round the knee, as a distinction 
to some of the brave knights who fought with hirn in Palestine. 

5. Edward limited the number of knights to twenty-five, of whom 
the Black Prince was the first named, and the others were the most 
distinguished of his generals. The number of the knights has never 
t)een increased, and none but nobles of the highest rank and greatest 
distinction have ever been admitted to it. There are orders of knight- 
hood in every kingdom, but this is esteemed the most honorable in the 
world. They have sometimes been called Knights of St. George. 

6. There is a peculiar dress worn by the knights on state occasions, 
but the particular badges are the garter of blue velvet worn on the left 
leg, just below the knee, and a golden medal, bearing an image of St. 
George, sitting on horseback, with the dragon under the horse's feet, 
which is suspended to a blue ribbon worn over the left shoulder, and 
passing under the right arm. A star of silver and gold, with the red 
cross of St. George upon it, is worn upon the left breast of the out- 
side garment. 

7. The color of the garter and ribbon were originally sky blue, but 
were changed for a deep blue by Charles II., in compliment to an 
Italian lady, the Duchess of Mazarine, who visited England during his 
reign ; this kind of blue being her favorite color, and from whom it 
derived its name of Mazarine Blue. 

8. These incidents of history will enable us better to understand the 
allusions which are frequently made to " stars," " garters," and " blue 
ribbons," in English writings ; for these terms are frequently used to 
denote any honors which a nobleman may be supposed to aspire to, 
and which the sovereign can bestow. 

9. The young knights of ancient times sometimes took strange 
whims into their heads. A number of these, who accompanied Ed- 
ward in an expedition into France, put a black patch over one eye 
each one making a vow not to take it off till he had performed some 
brave action. One of these, named Walter Maury, proved a very 
beneficent knight, as well as a very valiant one. 

10. Amongst other things, he founded a monastery called thfc 
Chartreuse. At the reformation of religion in England, this became 
private property, and was soon afterwards purchased by a rich mer- 
chant, named Sutton, who established a public school and hospital 
there, furnishing them with funds for their perpetual maintenance. 
This is the origin of the Charter House School, an institution which 
still exists, the name being a corruption of that of the old monks. 



8. What of their dress and badges? 7. Whence the name of Mazarine Blue? 9. What 
ridiculous thing did some young knight* do? 10. What waa the origin of the Charter 
House School? 

10 



146 DRESS IN THE REIGN OF EDWARD III. — 1327 — 1377. 



CHAPTER LXXXII. 

The Dress of fashionable Men and Women in the Reign of 

Edward III. 

1. The dress of a fine gentleman of the age of Edward III. would 
strike us as rather fantastic. He wore long pointed shoes, fastened 
to his knees by gold or silver chains ; a stocking of one color on one 
leg, and of another color on the other ; short breeches which did not 
reach to the middle of his thighs ; a coat, one half white, and the 
other half blue or black ; a long beard ; a silk hood buttoned under his 
chin, embroidered with grotesque figures of animals. 

2. The fashionable females are thus described by an old writer : 
" The tournaments are attended by many ladies of the first rank and 
greatest beauty, dressed in party-colored tunics. Their tippets are 
very short, their caps remarkably small, and wrapped about their heads 
with cords ; their girdles are ornamented with gold and silver, and 
ihey wear short swords, like daggers, hanging across then breasts." 

3. An old German writer tells us of the English, " that they are 
very fond of noises, such as the ringing of bells, and the beating of 
drums." Indeed, all the diversions of the English were of a very 
noisy character. When a nobleman opened his castle to .his guests, 
on occasions of public festivity, the halls and courts were crowded 
•*vith minstrels, mimics, jugglers, and tumblers ; and there was a 
strange confusion of feasting, drinking, dancing, singing, and- turn- 
Ming. 

4. There were at that time no such things as theatres or play- 
houses. The jugglers and tumblers used to travel about the country, 
and when they were not invited into private houses, they exhibited 
their tricks in carts in the open streets. The streets seem to have 
heen scenes of great gayety ; for we are told that the servants of the 
citizens of London used in summer evenings to dance in the streets 
before their masters' doors. 

5. They were in no danger from the carriages, for such things 
*vere not in use. The usual way for ladies, as well as gentlemen, " to 
go about," was on horseback, both sexes sitting alike, astride the 
horse ; side-saddles not being invented till the next reign. Queens, 
and persons of high rank, were occasionally conveyed on horse litters ; 
these were like a bedstead, fastened by shafts before and behind to 
two horses ; something in the manner in which hand barrows are car- 
ried by men. 

6. Over the litter there was a canopy held, supported on four long 
poles, each pole carried by a man on foot ; so that this mode of 
travelling was not a very expeditious one. The lord-mayor and 
aldermen of London, on occasion of an annual merrymaking in the 
country, used to go on horseback, while their wives went in wagons. 



LXXXII. — 1. Describe the dress of a gentleman of Edward III. 's time. 2. What ot 
Ihe ladies? 3. What of the diversions of the English? 4. What of stage- pla.y s » 



BATTLE OF POICTIEKS. — 1356. 



11? 



7. The ardor lor study in this reign was very great, for we are 
informed that there were 30,000 students at Oxford alone. But very 
little attention was paid to useful sciences. Of the ignorance in 
geography, we may judge from this story. In 1344, Pope Clement 
VI. created Louis of Spain Prince of the Fortunate Isles, meaning the 
Canaries, then newly discovered. 

8. The English ambassador at Rome, and his retinue, were seized 
with an alarm that Louis had been created King of England, and they 
immediately hurried home, in order to convey this important intelli- 
gence. 



CHAPTER LXXXIII. 

Battle of Poicliers. — King John of France taken Prisoner 
— Generous Conduct of the Black Prince. 




Edward, the Black Prince, waiting upon King John. 

1. The animosity between the French and English was so intense, 
that, not even the dreadful pestilence could for any great length of time 
prevent its breaking out into open hostilities, and in 1352 the war was 
renewed, Philip de Valois having been succeeded in 1350 by his son 
John. 

2. For four years the contest went on without any very distinguished 
action on either side, the English, however, gradually extending their 



7, 8. What instance of the ignorance of 



5. How was the usual mode of conveyance ? 
geography ? 

LXXXIII. — 1. When was the war with France renewed ? Who reigned in France ? 
2. When was the battle of Poicliers fought? 3. What were the forces on each side? 



,4S KING JOHN OF FRANCE TAKEN PRISONER. - 1356. 

territories in France. At length, on the 19th of September, 1350 
a battle was fought at Poictiers, which had a most decisive effect oh 
the condition of France. 

3. On the 17th of that month, the Black Prince, who, through the 
whole war, had distinguished himself by his valor and discretion, 
encamped with an army of 12,000 men near the town of Poictiers. 
The same evening, the King of France, with an army of 60,000 men, 
encamped within a mile of the prince, who, when he saw the French 
army advance thus unexpectedly upon him, exclaimed, "God help 
us ! it only remains for us to fight bravely." 

4. The Cardinal of Perigord, who was with the French army, was 
very desirous to make peace, and rode backwards and forwards several 
times between John and the prince, with that view. The prince said 
to him, " Save my honor, and the honor of my army, and I will readily 
listen to any reasonable conditions." But John would consent to 
nothing, unless the prince and a hundred of his knights would surren- 
der themselves prisoners of war. 

5. The reply of the prince to this was, that " he would never be 
made a prisoner but sword in hand." The cardinal, finding his en- 
deavors unavailing, retired to Poictiers, and the two armies prepared 
themselves for battle. We shall not give you a particular account of 
this engagement ; it will be enough to say that the English gained a 
most complete victory. 

6. King John, deserted by the larger part of his knights, fought 
bravely for his liberty. By his side was his son Philip, scarcely four- 
teen years old, who did wonders in defence of his fatner. The king, 
wearied, and overwhelmed by numbers, might easily have been slain ; 
but every English gentleman was ambitious of taking alive the royal 
prisoner, and exhortations to surrender were heard on all sides. 

7. The king still cried out, " Where is my cousin, the Prince of 
Wales?" and seemed unwilling to surrender to any person of inferior 
rank. But, being told that the prince was at a distance, he at length 
yielded himself to a French knight, named Morbec, who had been 
obliged to fly his country for murder. The young prince, Philip, who 
acquired the surname of the Hardy, from his conduct in this battle, also 
surrendered. 

8. The Black Prince, who was reposing in his tent after the fatigues 
of the day, felt very anxious about the fate of the French king, and 
sent the Earl of Warwick to bring him intelligence. That nobleman 
found the captive at a fortunate moment, for his life was exposed to 
more danger than it had been during the heat of the action. 

9. The prisoner had been taken by force from Morbec by the Eng- 
lish, and a contest had arisen among the prince's followers, as to whom 
the prisoner belonged. Some brutal soldiers, rather than to yield the 
prize to their rivals, had threatened to put him to death. Warwick 
overawed all parties, and, rescuing the king from their turbulence, led 
him to the prince, who received him with every mark of respect and 
sympathy ; seeking by his conduct to soothe and comfort him. 

4. Who tried to make peace? What prevented its being made? 5. What was the 
result of the battle? 6, 7, 8. What was the fate of King John? 9, 10. How was he 



GENEROUS CONDUCT OF THE BLACK PRINCE. 



119 



10. Having ordered a magnificent supper to be prepared, he him- 
self served at table, as if he had been one of the retinue. He stood 
behind the king's chair, declining to sit down in his presence, saying, 
" he knew too well the difference of rank between a subject and a 
sovereign prince." 

11. The king, much affected by this generous treatment, so little- 
10 be expected from so youthful a conqueror, burst into tears, and 
declared that though it was his fate to be a captive, he rejoiced that 
he had fallen into the hands of the most generous and valiant prince 
alive. 

12. The prince, after returning thanks to God for his victory, 
praised his troops for their conduct, and gave rewards and dignities to 
those who had particularly distinguished themselves. On the 24th of 
the following April, he sailed with his royal prisoners to England. 
On their approach to London, they were met by a train of a thousand 
citizens, in their best array, who conducted them with great state to 
Westminster. 




Prince Edward and King John. 

13. The Black Prince, in a plain dress, and on a little palfrey, roue 
by the side of the King of France, who was clad in royal robes, and 
mounted on a stately war-horse. When they arrived at Westminster, 
King Edward met them, and embraced the captive king with every 
mark of respect and affection. He and his son were sumptuously 
lodged, and treated more like visitors than prisoners, during the three 
years they remained in England. 



received and treited by the prince? 11. How was the king affected by this treatment ? 
12. When did the prince return to England 3 13. What is said jf the reception of him 
and his prisoners there? 

13* 



150 



RANSOM OF KING JOHN. — 1360. 



CHAPTER LXXXIV. 

Honorable Conduct of John, King of France. — Edward, the 
Black Prince, and his Wife, the Fair Maid of Kent, hold 
their Court at Bourdeaux. — The Prince becomes ill, and 
returns to England, and dies. — Death of Edward III. — 
The English Language adopted. — How the King erected 
his Buildings. 




niiiupi 

John oj France. 

1. Edward had now two captive monarchs in his kingdom ; but 
he soon after released David Bruce, who had remained a prisoner 
eleven years, upon payment of a large ransom. After the lapse of 
three years, and many tedious negotiations, a treaty for the release 
of John was at length concluded. His ransom was fixed at three 
millions of gold crowns. 

2. Edward accompanied John to Calais, and the two kings, with 
many expressions of affection and regard, parted on the 24th of 
October, 1360. One of the hostages who had been given for the pay- 
ment of John's ransom having escaped, that monarch, who felt that 
by this breach of faith his own honor was impeached, returned to 
England, where he died in the year 1364. 

3. The government of the provinces conquered in France was 
given to the Black Prince, who, with his wife, called the Fair Maid 
of Kent, established their court at Bourdeaux. He soon afterwards 
e-. gaged in a war to replace Pedro on the throne of Spain, in which 
lie was at the time successful. 

LXXXIV — 1 What kings did Kdward hold as prisoners? 2. When was John ire- 
'e.iocd • Why did lie return to England / When did he die? 3. In what new exp.ili- 



DEATH OF THE BLACK PRINCE. — 1376. 151 

4. After his return from Spain, the Black Prince became subjec 
to such continued ill health, that it was believed he had been poisoned. 
His illness had a most unhappy effect on his temper ; from being the 
most benevolent and generous of men, he became cruel and morose. 
After some months of constant suffering, he became unable from weak- 
ness to mount his horse, and was obliged to give up the command of 
the army. 

5. From this time the glory of England declined ; every expedition 
was unsuccessful. These mortifications, and his continued illness, 
increased the irritability of his mind. He returned to England, as a 
last hope, for the recovery of his health ; but, after lingering some 
time, he died on the 8th of June, 1376, in the forty-seventh year of 
his age. 

6. His loss was felt throughout England, as a private as well as a 
public loss. The Captal de Bucke, one of his brave companions, was 
so much afflicted by his death, that he refused to take food, and thus 
soon followed his lamented master. 

7. The loss of his son broke down the heart of the poor old king, 
who did not long survive him, and died at his palace, June 1st, 1377, 
in the sixty-fifth year of his age, and the fifty-first of his reign. 

8. Edward's war with France produced one important effect. 
Hitherto, the king and nobility had never forgotten their French ex- 
traction, and the French language had been the language in common 
use by them. But they had now acquired such an antipathy to the 
French, that the use of the French language was abolished, and it 
was ordered by law that none but the English should be employed in 
the courts of law, and in the public deeds. 

9. The condition of the laboring classes in this reign may be best 
understood from the manner in which Edward conducted the building 
of the magnificent castle of Windsor. Instead of engaging workmen 
by contracts and wages, he ordered every county in England to send 
him a certain number of masons, carpenters, and other 'artificers, in 
proportion to the number of its inhabitants, just as if he had been 
levying an army ; and this command was promptly obeyed. 

TABLE OF THE FAMILY OF EDWARD IIL 

WIFE. 
Philippa, daughter of the Earl of Hainault. 

SONS. 

Edward, the Black Prince, who died before his father. 

Lionel, Duke of Clarence, who died before his father, leaving a daughter, who 

married Edmund Mortimer, Earl of March. 
John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster. 
Edmund, Duke of York. 
Thomas, Duke of Gloucester. 

tirm did the Black Prince engage ? 4, 5. What change took place in the Black Prince ? 
When did he die? G. What was a consequence of his death ? 7. When did Edward 
III. die 1 What was his age? How long had he reigned? 8. What change was effected 
in coiisfqiieiice of the wars with the French? 9. What circumstance is givt;n as a 
specimen of tha condition of the people .' 



152 



RICHARD II. SUCCEEDS TO THE THRONE. — 1377. 



DAUGHTERS. 

Isabel, married to the Earl of Bedford. 
Joan, married to the King of Castile. 
Mary, married to the Duke of Brittany. 
Margaret, married to the Earl of Pembroke. 

GRANDSONS 

Richard, son of the Black Prince, who succeeded to the throne. 

Henry, son of John of Gaunt, afterwards king, by the name of Henry IV. 

John Beaufort, son of John of Gaunt, from whom was descended King Henry 

VII. 
Henry Beaufort, son of John of Gaunt, who was Cardinal of Winchester. 
Richard, son of Edmund of York. 



CHAPTER LXXXV. 

Richard II. succeeds to the Throne. — Character of his three 
Uncles. — Insurrection of the People under Wat Tyler and 
Jack Straw. — About the Templars and the Temple. 




Wat Tyler slain. 

1. Immediately after the death of his grandfather, the son of the 
Black Prince was proclaimed king by the title of Richard II. He 
was only eleven years old. No regency was expressly appointed, 
but the king's uncles, the dukes of Lancaster, York, and Gloucester, 
governed in the king's name. 

2. John of Gaunt, the eldest of these, had a high spirit and great 
ambition ; and even during his father's lifetime had exercised great 

LXXXV. — 1. Who suceeded Edward ITT. 1 Who governed in his name? 2. What 
was the character of the king's uncles '? 3. What measure was adopter' to raise money ] 



WAT TYLER'S INSURRECTION. — 1381. 153 

authority in the state. The Duke of York was well meaning, but 
indolent and of little ability. The Duke of Gloucester was turbulent, 
bold, and meddling ; but John, being the oldest, had the chief sway in 
their councils. 

3. Edward left his grandson involved in wars both with France 
and Scotland, to maintain which, a tax was imposed, in 1381, upon 
every person above fifteen years of age. This tax excited great dis- 
contents among the people, which were raised to the highest pitch by 
the insolent conduct of the collectors. 

4. One of these having insulted the daughter of a tyler at Dept- 
ford, named Walter, the father knocked down the ruffian with his 
hammer. The mob applauded the action, and, exclaiming that it 
was full time to throw off the yoke of servitude, and to take vengeance 
on their tyrants, flew (o arms. Wat Tyler, as he is called, took upon 
himself the command of the insurgents, and sent messages into all the 
neighboring counties, inviting the laboring classes to join them. 

5. The summons was joyfully obeyed, and quitting their employ- 
ments, the people hastened to Blackheath, the appointed place of 
meeting, burning the houses, and plundering the estates of the nobility 
as they passed. The frenzy of the people was encouraged by the 
declamations of a crazy priest, named John Ball, who went about 
preaching to them from such texts as this : 

" When Adam delved, and Eve span, 
Who was then the gentleman ?" 

fj. The mob, when assembled at Blackheath, amounted to at least 
100,000 men. Wat Tyler and another man, called, from his business 
as a thresher, Jack Straw, were appointed leaders, and they all set 
off like hounds in full cry towards London. Rushing into the city, 
they spread themselves over it, killing every gentleman who came in 
their way, and filling every part with terror. 

7. They were particularly furious against the Lombards and 
Flemings ; and those who could not pronounce the words " bread and 
cheese," with a proper English accent, were judged to be foreigners, 
and had their heads cut off on the spot. 

8. Their rage was also directed against the lawyers, and the Tem- 
ple, with all the records that were kept in it, was destroyed. This 
is the name of a building that was once the residence of the Knights 
Templars, an order of monkish knights, who took upon themselves 
the vow of never marrying, and observed other monastic rules. 

9. Instead of living in monasteries, and wearing cowls, they put 
on armor, and devoted themselves to the protection of those who 
went on pilgrimages to the Holy Land. About the year 1310 the 
order was dissolved, and Edward III. granted their house, which 
from them was called the Temple, to the students of law, by whom it 
is still inhabited. 

Hnvv was it received by the people ? 4. What act led immediately to the insurrection ? 
Who was made the leader ? 5. What is said of John Ball? 6 Where did the mob 
assemble? Who were appointed leaders? What did the mob proceed to do? 7. What 
is stiil of" their treatment of forei?ners? 8. What is the Temple? What, is said of 'ho 
Templars 1 9. By whom is the Temple now occupied J 



154 



WAT TYLER'S INSURRECTION. — 1381. 



CHAPTEK LXXXVI. 

The Insurrection is quelled by the Bravery of William Wal~ 
vwrth, and the Presence of Mind of Richard II. 




Richard II. in the barge. 



1. The king's uncles were all absent from the kingdom, and the 
insurrection was so sudden, that no preparations had been made for 
checking it. The king, with his mother and chief officers and a 
small number of the nobles, took refuge in the Tower. Having recov- 
ered from the first surprise, a council was held to devise measures for 
the general security. 

2. Some were for resorting to force, but more peaceful counsels 
prevailed ; and it was determined that a message should be sent to 
the insurgents, to say that if they would retire to a certain place 
without the city, the king would meet them on the next day, and hear 
their grievances. Accordingly, on the 14th of June, 1381, Richard, 
with a few unarmed attendants, proceeded to the appointed place, 
-vhere he found about sixty thousand persons assembled. 

3. The king, in a gentle manner, asked them what they wanted. 
They replied, " they wanted the freedom of themselves and chil- 
dren." The king promised their desire should be granted, and that, 
if they would return home, he would give them certificates of free- 
dom. Immediately thirty clerks were set to work to write these 
certificates, which were given to all who asked for them. Imme- 



LXXXVT. — l. Where were the kin? and his uncles al the breaking out of the insur- 
reclicn 2 2. What measure did the king adupt to quell it 2 3. What was his success 1 



THE INSURRECTION QUELLED. — 1381. 1<55 

diately the mob dispersed, every one returning contentedly to his 
home. 

4. In the mean time Wat Tyler, with Jack Straw, and the most 
desperate of the party, supposing that the proposal on the part of 
the king to meet the people was merely a stratagem to get them out 
of the city, and having no expectation that he would keep his engage- 
ment, instead of going to the appointed place, proceeded to the 
Tower. 

5. They met with little resistance here, and having gained admit- 
tance, murdered the Archbishop of Canterbury, and many others 
whom they found there. But they were disappointed in their prin- 
cipal object, which was to get possession of the person of the king, 
whom they had invited to meet them. He went on the river in a 
barge, but such were the symptoms of violence that he dared not land, 
and turned back. 

6. But the next day, as Richard, attended by William Walw r orth, 
the Mayor of London, and about sixty horsemen, was riding through 
Smithfield, he met Wat Tyler, at the head of nearly thirty thousand 
of the insurgents. Walter, ordering his companions to keep at a dis- 
tance, rode up to the king, and conducted himself towards him with 
such audacity, that Walworth, unable to endure his insolence, struck 
him to the ground with his sword. 

7. The royal party wouid undoubtedly have been sacrificed to the 
fury of the mob, if it had not been for the extraordinary presence of 
mind of the king. Riding up to the insurgents before they had time 
to recover from their momentary surprise, he cried out, " My friends, 
be not concerned for the loss of your unworthy leader ; I, your king, 
will be your leader !" 

8. Turning his horse, he rode into the open field at the head of 
the multitude, who followed him without knowing why. In the 
mean time, the cry had arisen in the city, that the king had fallen 
into the hands of the rebels, and instantly some thousands of brave 
men flew to his rescue. 

9. When they appeared, the mob, seized with a panic, fell on 
their knees before the king, imploring his pardon, which he granted 
them, on condition that they dispersed and returned to their homes. 
This they all did ; and thus this insurrection, which appeared to be so 
formidable, melted away like snow in a sudden thaw. 

4, 5. What did Wat Tyler and his associates do? 6, 7, 8, 9. Relate the particulars of 
the death of Walter, and of the dispersion of the mob. 



156 



CHARACTER OF RICHARD II. — 1381. 



CHAPTER LXXXVII. 

Character of Richard II — About Chaucer and Robert Lang- 
land. 




Chaucer. 



1. Richard's conduct during - this disturbance naturally led his 
subjects to hope that he had inherited the courage and vigor of mind 
of the most distinguished of his ancestors. But the hope was not 
realized. As he advanced in age, he discovered a weakness and 
frivolity which made him totally unfit for the government of a king- 
dom. His person was extraordinarily beautiful. He hated business. 
and devoted himself to amusement. He was fond of show and mag- 
nificence ; his household consisted of ten thousand persons ; he had 
three hundred in his kitchen alone. 

2. One of the first acts, after quiet was restored, was to revoke all 
the certificates of freedom whieh had been given, and to compel all 
those to whom they had been granted, to return to their state of ser- 
vitude, and to perform all their accustomed services to their lords. 

3. At the age of sixteen, Richard married Anne of Bohemia, who 
was long remembered in England by the name of the good Queen 
Anne. The Duke of Lancaster had some claims, in right of his wife, 
to the throne of Castile, and in 1386, he sailed for Spain with an 
army of twenty thousand men to prosecute these. He remained Ihere 

LXXXVII. — 1. What is said of the character and person of Richard ? 2. What, wag 
one of \V6 first acts after the restoration of quiet'/ 3. Whom did Richard marry .' 



THE POETS CHAUCER AND LANGLaAh. 13S0— 1440 157 

three years, and the dispute was finally settled by the marriage of 
Ins daughter with the son of the reigning King- of Castile. 

4. Lancaster's eldest daughter had married the King of Portugal, 
and Ids once turbulent ambition seemed quite satisfied with securing 
to his posterity the crowns of two kingdoms, for after his return to 
England he led a private life. In 1394 he married Catherine Swyn- 
ford, who had been governess to his daughters, and who was the 
sister of Chaucer, who is sometimes called the Father of English 
Poetry, because he was the first English poet of eminence. 

5. He was born in 1368, and having a distaste for the profession 
of the law, for which he was originally intended, obtained a place at 
the court of Edward 111., to whom he made himself very agreeable, 
and from whom he obtained many substantial marks of favor. Hav- 
ing adopted the religious opinions of Wickliffe, about whom we shall 
presently speak, Chaucer was obliged to leave the kingdom, to avoid 
the anger of the clergy. 

6. He was at length enabled to return, and the last years of his 
life were spent in ease and plenty. His chief work is the poem 
called the Canterbury Tales. Few of the modern poets have equalled 
him in the excellence of his descriptions ; but from the great changes 
that have taken place in the English language since his time, his 
poetry is often so obscure, that persons unaccustomed to the old style 
of writing cannot understand it. 

7. Since we have begun upon poetry, we may as well mention 
Robert Langland, who lived about this time. He wrote a very severe 
satire against persons of all professions, called .he " Vision of Pierse 
Plowman," which is very valuable, for the insight it gives us into the 
manners of the times. 

8. It is not in rhyme, and is written in a very singular kind of 
verse, which is called alternative, and which consists in having, in the 
same line, as many words as possible beginning with the same letter. 
Thus, speaking of the magnificence of a monkish dwelling, he spts;, 

" I found there 



A hall for a high king, a household to holden, 
With broad boards abouten, y-benched well clean ; 
With windows of glass wrought as a church, 
And chambers with chimneys, and chapels gay." 



CHAPTER LXXXVIII. 

Anecdote illustrating the Manners of the Times. 

1. The king was frequently engaged in wars with the Scots. 
During one of the expeditions against them, an incident occurred, 

What expedition did the Duke of Lancaster engage in 1 How did it result 1 4. What 
of the conduct of the duke after his return from Spain ? 5, 6. What i9 said of Chaucer .' 
7, S. What of Robert Langland? 
LXXXVIII. — 2, 3. Relate the circumstances of Sir Ralph Stafford's death 5. What 
14 



159 TIMES OF RICHARD II. — 1377 — 1400. 

which, as it illustrates the manners of the times, we will relate. 
Having arrived with his forces at Beverly, Richard determined to 
remain there for several day. 

2. His army was too numerous to be lodged in the town, and 
part was, therefore, dispersed in the neighboring villages. A poor 
German knight, who was one of those who were so dispersed, was 
looking for a lodging, and trying, in very bad English, to make him- 
self understood. A squire, belonging to the king's half-brother, 
Sir John Holland, began to abuse the poor German, and laughed at 
him. 

3. An archer of Sir Ralph Stafford's took up the quarrel of the 
German, and shot the squire. When Sir John Holland heard of tho 
death of his follower, he made a vow that he would neither eat nor 
drink till it was avenged. Riding furiously about the lanes in search 
of the German knight, the innocent cause of the affray, he met Sir 
Ralph Stafford in a narrow passage, and struck him with his sword 
as he passed. 

4. The blow was mortal ; but Sir John rode on, without perhaps 
knowing that he had killed him. The king was very angry when 
he heard of Sir Ralph's death, and would certainly have hanged the 
murderer, had he not taken refuge in the Sanctuary of St. John at 
Beverly. 

5. In those days, every church abbey, or consecrated place was a 
sanctuary ; and all persons who had committed crimes, or were other- 
wise in fear of their lives, might secure themselves from danger by 
getting into them ; for they were deemed so sacred, that to force a 
sanctuary, that is, to take any person out by violence who had taken 
refuge there, was thought a greater crime than murder itself. 

6. We remember a story of a nobleman, who had taken sanctuary 
in some abbey during the reign of Richard III. The king was on the 
point of rushing in and seizing his victim, when the abbot presented 
himself in the gateway, bearing the Holy Sacrament in his hand, and 
Richard turned away, not daring to violate a sanctuary so guarded. 
The Reformation in religion, of which we shall soon speak, put an 
end to this abuse of sacred places. 

7. We will now r3turn to Sir John. The Princess of Wales, his 
mother, was so much distressed at her son's danger, that she died of 
grief. He was afterwards pardoned by the king, and received into 
favor. Sir Ralph Stafford, the victim of his lawless conduct, was a 
very accomplished young man, and the only son of an old Lord Staf- 
ford, who was then with the army. 

8. Lord Stafford, as soon as he had recovered from the first burst 
of grief at the shocking murder of his son, went to the king, and 
told him that as he was on his road to fight the Scots, he would not 
let his grief prevent him from serving his country in the hour of 
need ; " and," added he, " during this expedition I shall not think of 
my affliction : for I like not that the Scots be rejoiced at the misery 
of the Earl of Stafford." 

is said of sanctuaries? 6. What anecdote of Richard III.'s respect for them? 7,8,9 
Relate the remainder of the story of Sir John Holland and of Lord Stafford. 



RICHARD RESIGNS TO A REGENCY. - 1337. 



1-59 



9. The afflicted old man accordingly accompanied the army into 
v Gotland, and performed all the duties of a soldier and commander, as 
ir ne had a heart free from sorrow ; but as soon as the expedition was 
ended, he went on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, and did not live to 
return. 



CHAPTER LXXXIX. 

The King offends his Nobles, and is obliged to resign his Power 
to a Regency, but resumes his Authority. — Death of the 
Duke of Gloucester. 




Richard resigning his Crown. 

1. During the absence of the Duke of Lancaster, the king had 
nade himself very unpopular by giving the principal offices of state to 
i set of worthless favorites, the chief of whom was Michael de la Pole, 
ihe son of a merchant of London. 

2. A party was formed against the king, at the head of which was 
the Duke of Gloucester. This became powerful enough to compel 
Richard to surrender the government of the kingdom to a council of 
regency, consisting of fourteen noblemen. Many of the favorites 
tvere put to death, and De la Pole, who had been made Earl of Suf- 
folk, saved his life by flying from the kingdom. 

3. Not content with depriving his nephew of all power, Glouces- 
ter determined to destroy every friend that remained to him. Rich- 
ard, though he had assembled around him so many vicious characters, 
had still preserved his respect for Sir Samuel Burleigh, a good and 

LXXXIX. — 1. How did Richard give offence to his nobles? Who was his chief favor- 
ite? 2. What was the consequence of his conduct? 3, 4. What is said about Sir 



160 TRIAL BY COMBAT. — 1397. 

venerable old man, who had been appointed his tutor by the Black 
Prince. 

4. Neither the affection which that prince was known to have had 
for him, nor his own age and virtue, could preserve him from the 
malice of Gloucester, who procured his condemnation on a pretended 
charge of high treason. And though the good Queen Anne remained 
on her knees three hours before the inexorable Gloucester, begging 
for his life, he was executed like a common traitor. 

5. Richard submitted quietly to the tyranny of his uncle for about 
a year and a half; and then, suddenly rousing himself into action, 
asserted his own right to the sovereign power. He removed the 
officers appointed by Gloucester, and filled their places with men of 
ability. He acted with such prudence and vigor that Gloucester and 
his party were thunderstruck, and relinquished their authority. 

6. Richard now sought to purchase the friendship of his uncle by 
grants of immense value, but the duke was not of a character to remain 
long in a state of quiet. The king, having information of his plots, 
determined to be beforehand with him, and caused him to be seized by 
surprise and carried to Calais. 

7. The Duke of Gloucester was accused of high treason, and a 
parliament was summoned to meet at Westminster, September 17th, 
1397, for his trial. So many nobles came to London to attend this, 
that every lodging in London, and for ten miles around, was filled. 

8. When the day of trial arrived, the Governor of Calais was sum 
moned to bring his prisoner ; but, instead of producing him, he sent 
word that Gloucester had died in prison. The particulars of his death 
are not known, but there is every reason to believe that he was mur 
dered by the orders of the king. 



CHAPTER XC. 

Trial by Combat, between the Dukes of Hereford and Norfolk. 
— Ceremonies used on that Occasion. 

1. Some of the nobles did not hesitate to charge the king with the 
murder of Gloucester. The Duke of Norfolk one day expressed this 
opinion in the hearing of Henry Bolingbroke, a son of John of Gaunt, 
and of course the cousin of the king. Henry was highly indignant at 
this charge, and made a formal complaint against the duke for speak- 
ing seditious words. 

2. It was decreed by the lords in parliament that the matter should 
be decided by a personal combat between the accuser and the accused ; 
a common mode of deciding doubtful questions of law or of fact, as we 

Samuel Burleigh? 5. How long did Richard submit to the rule of his uncle? What 
did he do then? 6, 7, 8. Relate the rest of the incidents of the Duke of Gloucester's 
life. 
XC. — 1. What was the ground of quarrel between the Dukes of Hereford and Norfolk 1 



TRIAL BY COMBAT. — 1397. 161 

have before stated. It may interest the reader to have a description 
of the ceremonies used on the occasion. 

3. The accuser first appeared, in full armor, with his drawn sword 
in his hand, and, mounted on a white charger, with housings of green 
and blue velvet, on which were embroidered swans and antelopes of 
gold. When he approached the lists, the marshal demanded, Who he 
wasl To which he answered, " I am Henry of Lancaster, Duke of 
Hereford, come hither according to my duty, against Thomas Mow- 
bray, Duke of Norfolk, a false traitor to God, the king, the country, 
and me." 

4. Then taking the oath that his quarrel was just and true, he 
desired to enter the lists. This being granted to him, he sheathed his 
sword, made the sign of the cross upon his forehead, seized his lance, 
which had hitherto been borne by his squire, and, passing the barrier 
or entrance to the lists, alighted from his horse, and sat down in a chair 
of green velvet, placed at one end of the lists. 

5. He had scarce taken his seat, when the king came into the field, 
with great pomp, attended by the peers, and ten thousand men-at- 
arms, to preserve order among the spectators. The king being seated 
in his chair of state, a herald proclaimed that none but the marshals 
should presume to touch the lists, under pain of death. 

6. Then another herald proclaimed aloud, " Behold here Henry of 
Lancaster, Duke of Hereford, who has entered the lists to make good 
his charge against Thomas Mowbray, Duke of Norfolk, on pain of 
being counted false and recreant." 

7. The Duke of Norfolk immediately appeared in arms, mounted 
upon a horse, with housings of crimson velvet, embroidered with lions 
of silver and mulberry-trees, his armorial bearings ; and having taken 
his oaths, entered the field, exclaiming aloud, " God defend the 
right!" 

8. Alighting from his horse, he placed himself in a chair of crimson 
velvet, opposite to his antagonist at the other end of the lists. Then 
the marshal, having measured their lances, delivered one Jo the 
Duke of Hereford, and sent a knight with the other to the Duke of. 
Norfolk ; he then made proclamation that they should prepare for the 
combat. 

9. They immediately mounted their horses, closed the visors of 
their helmets, and fixed their lances on their rests. The trumpets 
sounded the charge ; the Duke of Hereford rushed forward with the 
greatest violence, but before he could reach his antagonist, the king 
threw down his sceptre, which was a signal for the heralds to inter- 
pose, and stop the combat. 

10. He ordered their lances to be taken away, and banished the 
Duke of Hereford for ten years, and the Duke of Norfolk for life. 
Nothing could have been more ill-judged than this measure, which 
was attributed to the king's cowardice. In those ferocious times, per- 
sonal courage was considered the greatest virtue a monarch could pos- 
sess, and the want of it exposed him to the contempt of his subjects, 
and therefore to no little danger. 

2 How was it ordered thai the dispute .should be settled? 3,4, 5, 6, 7,8. Give an ^CPPU$ 
11 



162 RESIGNATION AND DEATH OF RICHARD. - 1399- 1400. 

11. The measure gave general dissatisfaction. There was a feel 
ing of disappointment at the loss of the show, and of indignation at 
the injustice done to the parties themselves. Henry of Lancaster was 
a great favorite with the soldiers ; was possessed of immense wealth, 
and related to all the great families of the kingdom. He was a dan- 
gerous subject to offend, but still no ill consequences to the king 
might have' ensued, but for some new wrongs inflicted upon him. 



CHAPTER XC1. 



Henry of Lancaster returns to England with an Army, ana 
compels Richard II. to resign the Croion. — Death of Richard. 

1. In 1H99, John of Gaunt died, and Richard at once seized on all 
his great estates. His son Henry, called Bolingbroke, from the place 
of his birth, was in France when he heard of this new outrage com- 
mitted against him. He resolved immediately to reclaim his rights, 
and being assisted with ships and soldiers by the Duke of Brittany, he 
landed in England, July 4th, 1399. 

2. Tho king was at that time in Ireland, and his uncle, the Duke 
of York, governed England during his absence. It is probable that 
Henry, when he first landed, had no view beyond that of getting back 
his inheritance ; but finding himself joined by some powerful noble- 
men, he soon began to entertain designs upon the throne itself. 

3. The Duke of York was preparing, on the king's part, to make 
resistance ; but he too, being persuaded by Henry that he had only 
come to claim his inheritance, joined him with the forces under his 
command. 

4. Richard himself soon after landed at Milford Haven, and finding 
that his uncle, instead of having an army ready for his service, had 
gone over to the party of Henry, retired with a few friends to Con- 
way. After some negotiations, he imprudently agreed to a personal 
conference with his cousin at Flint Castle, to which Richard at once 
proceeded, with his few attendants. 

5. The next day Henry arrived, attended by his army. Richard, 
who was watching on the walls for his coming, went down to meet 
him ; the duke, after some ceremony, entered the castle in full armor, 
only making bare his head in compliment to the fallen king. 

6. Henry, having thus secured the person of Richard, led him in 
triumph to London. On the road he was subjected to many indignities 
both from the duke and from the people, and on his arrival at the cap- 
ital he was committed as a prisoner to the Tower. 

jf the ceremonies used on the occasion. 9. How did the matter end ? 10. What did 
the king do to the parties ? 11. How was the measure received? 

XCI. — I. When did John of Gaunt die? What became of his estates? What did 
Henry do? When did he land in England? 2. Where was the king? By whom was 
Henry joined? 4, 5. What became of Richard? 6. How was he treated by Henry ". 



JOHN WICKLIFFE. — 1376 — 13S4. 163 

7. Henry now openly declared his design upon the crown, and 
compelled the king to sign a paper containing a resignation of it. 
This paper was communicated to Parliament, who gave it their ap- 
proval. Henry was unanimously declared to be the successor, and was 
led to the vacant throne by the archbishops of Canterbury and York. 

8. Richard was conveyed to Pontefract Castle, and there put to 
death in the beginning of the year 1400, in the thirty-fifth year of his 
age, and the twenty-fourth of his reign. He is called the last sover- 
eign of the line of Planta genet ; Henry and his successors being styled 
Tiie House of Lancaster. 

FAMILY OF RICHARD II. 

WIFE. 

Anne of Bohemia, who died before him. He was espoused to Isabella of 
France, at the time of his deposition. He left no children. 

TABLE OF THE KINGS OF THE LINE OF PLANT AGENET. 
Began to reign. Reigned. 

Henry II., grandson of Henry I. 

Richard I., Cagur de Lion, son of Henry II. 

John Lackland, son of Henry II. 

Henry III., son of John. 

Edward I., son of Henry III. 

Edward II., son of Edward 1. 

Edward III., son of Edward II. 

Richard II., grandson of Edward III. 



1154 . 


. 35 


1189 . 


. 10 


1199 . 


. 17 


1216 . 


. 56 


1272 . 


. 34 


1307 . 


. 20 


1327 . 


. 50 


1377 . 


. 22 



CHAPTER XCII. 

Account of John Wicklijfe, who attempted to produce a Refor- 
mation in Religion. 

1. In the course of our story we have had frequent occasion to 
speak of the pride and luxury of the clergy. This was in part the 
consequence of the idle lives which the liberality of a superstitious 
people enabled them to lead ; and in part to the corrupting doctrines of 
the established church. 

2. John WicklifFe, born about the year 1324, was the first who 
dared to protest openly against the errors of the time. He was him- 
self a priest, and had gained great distinction at the University of 
Oxford, where he was educated, by his abilities and acquirements, and 
more especially by his knowledge of the Scriptures. 

3. He first became publicly known in the latter part of the reign 
of Edward III., by a controversy with the begging friars, an order of 
monks, who, because our Saviour and his apostles avoided worldly 
riches and honors, pretended to imitate them by going about beg- 

7. What did he compel the kins? to do? What did parliament do 1 8. When and where 
did Richard die? Whit was his age? How Inn? had lie reigned? What line of sov- 
ereie'is ended with him? What were his successors styled? 
XCII. — 2. When was John Wiekliflfe born ? 3,4. What did he do? 5. TV whorr 



164 



WICKLIFFE BEFORE AN ECCLESIASTICAL COUNCIL. 



ging ; and who seemed to think that poverty and beggary were t* « 
essence of religion. 







John Wickliffe. 



4. Wickliffe afterwards attacked the corruptions of the monks in 
general ; and, proceeding by degrees, as his knowledge of the Scrip- 
tures increased, he came at last to deny the authority of the pope, and 
the truth of many of the doctrines of the Roman Catholic Church. 

5. As he likewise denied the validity of the claims of the clergy to 
temporal authority, his doctrines were highly acceptable to the nobles, 
and he was openly favored by John of Gaunt, who, after the death of 
Edward III., was, as we have before stated, the most powerful man 
in the kingdom. 

6. The boldness and success with which Wickliffe pursued this 
work excited the alarm of the churchmen ; and he was summoned to 
appear before an ecclesiastical counsel, to answer for his conduct in 
publishing such heretical opinions. 

7. At the day appointed he was conducted to St. Paul's church in 
London, the place where the council met, by the Duke of Lancaster, 
and Sir Henry Percy, the Earl-Marshal of England, one of the chief 
officers of the crown, and attended by an immense concourse of people. 

8. We may well suppose that these marks of respect and favor 
were not very pleasing to the clergy, and many angry words passed 
between the duke and the Bishop of London. At length the nobles 
and the clergy took their seats, whereupon the earl-marshal invited 
Wickliffe to sit down ; " for," said he, " you have much to answer, 
and need a convenient seat." 

9. The rest we will give you in the words of an old historian. 

was he favored ? 6 What did the clergy do? 7, 8, 9, 10. Relate what occurred at the 



HENRY IV. — 1400. 165 

" The Bishop of London told him that it was against all law and rea- 
son, that he who was cited before a council should sit. Hereupon, 
contumelious words arose between the marshal and the bishop. The 
duke takes the marshal's part, and sharply reprehended the bishop. 

10. " The bishop returns the like to the duke, who, in a great rage, 
said he would pull down the pride of him, and of all the bishops in 
England. The duke and the marshal standing thus stiffly for John 
Wickliffe, there was nothing done against him at that time." 

11. There were a great many proselytes to the doctrines of Wick- 
liffe. These were called Lollards, a name given them in derision, the 
word meaning noisome weed. A r arious attempts were made to root out 
the noisome weed of the reformed faith in religion, and even the fire 
and fagot were used to extirpate it ; but without success. It contin- 
ued to exist until the reign of Henry VIII. , when it was decided by 
that potentate to be a wholesome plant, and the Roman Catholic belief 
itself to be the detestable weed 

12. Wickliffe employed .na.iy of the latter years of his life in mak- 
ing a translation of the Bible into English. This had been done before 
by the venerable Bede ; and the old Saxon bishop, Aldhelm, in the 
year 706, translated the book of Psalms into Saxon ; but when the 
pope began to rule the affairs of the English church, none but Latin 
Bibles were allowed to be used, and these were to be found only in 
the hands of the priests. 

13. The people were therefore kept from reading the Scriptures, 
so that the priests and monks might make them believe what they 
pleased. This work of Wickliffe, therefore, while it was highly 
acceptable to the laity generally, was disapproved of by the bishops, 
and all who were attached to the established rules of the church. 

14. An attempt was made to obtain an order from parliament for 
the suppression of the English translation ; but it was unsuccessful 
in consequence of the warm remonstrances of the Duke of Lancaster, 
who concluded by saying, " We will not be the dregs of all, seeing 
that other nations have the law of God, which is the law of our faith, 
written in their own language." Wickliffe died, December 31st, 
1384. 



CHAPTER XCIII. 

Henry IV. keeps the Throne in Defiance of the Rights of Ed- 
mund Mortimer, the true Heir. — He puts down the rebel- 
lious Barons. — Owen Glendower. 

1. The life of Henry IV. furnishes a striking example of the 
sudden vicissitudes to which human life is subject. Within the 
snort space of three months, he was wandering about without a 

council. 11. Whence the name Lollard 1 12. How did WicklifTe employ the last years 
of his life ? 13. 14. What of the uae of the Bible 1 When did Wickliffe die? 



166 



CONSPIRACIES AND REBELLIONS. — 1400-1403. 



home, an outcast from that country of which he was now the sov 

ereiirn. 




Owen Ghndower. 

2. But his situation was far from being an enviable one. His life 
was made miserable by constant apprehensions of plots and conspira- 
cies, of which he was really in much danger, and the evil was aggra- 
vated by his own jealous and suspicious temper. 

3. Even after the abdication of Richard, he had no legal title to the 
crown, for the undoubted heir was Edmund Mortimer, a descendant 
of Lionel, Duke of Clarence, the elder brother of John, of Gaunt. To 
secure himself from any attempts on the part of Edmund, who was 
only seven years old, to recover his rights, Henry caused him to be 
confined in Windsor Castle. 

4. He had possessed the throne only three months when a very 
dangerous conspiracy was entered into against him, by some nobles 
attached to Richard. A man named Maudlin was dressed up to per- 
sonate him ; but a quarrel having arisen among the leaders, it was 
soon and easily crushed. 

5. All the nobles taken in arms were beheaded ; a very different 
treatment from that which the rebellious barons received in the reign 
of King John, when they were forgiven as often as they offended. 
This difference of treatment shows the change w 7 hich had taken place 
in the relative power of the king and the barons ; for John, had he 
dared to do so, would have acted precisely as Henry did. 

6. To secure himself from any more attempts of this kind, Henry 
caused Richard to be murdered, as we have already stated ; and to 



XCIII — 2. By what was Henry's quiet disturbed? 3. Who was the true heir to tha 



BATTLE OF SHREWSBURY. — 1403. 167 

prevent any one from pretending in future to personate him, made 
known the certainty of his death, hy causing his body to be brought 
to London, and exposed with the face uncovered for three days. 

7. A few months afterwards the king had a very narrow escape. 
One night he perceived, concealed in his bed, just as he was stepping 
into it, a steel instrument with three sharp points, which would either 
have killed him, or wounded him severely, had he laid down upon it. 

8. Besides his secret enemies, Henry had a very formidable open 
foe in Owen Glendower, a Welsh gentleman, of great spirit and cour- 
age, who proclaimed himself Prince of Wales, in right of his ancestors, 
and invited his countrymen to attempt the recovery of their independ- 
ence. 

9. They accordingly flocked to his standard, and Glendower, 
favored by the mountainous nature of his country, maintained himself 
for seven years against all the efforts of Henry to subdue him. 



CHAPTER XCIV. 

Several Rebellions against Henry IV. — All finally subdued. 
— Instance of the Superstition of the People. 

1. The Earl of Northumberland and his brother, the Earl of West- 
moreland, were two of the most powerful barons in England, and it 
was chiefly by their means that Henry had been able to ascend the 
throne. Instead of taking pains to secure their support, he gave them 
iust occasion of offence. 

2. The Earl of Northumberland and his son, Henry Percy, defeat- 
ed the Scots in a battle fought at Homildon Hill, and made prisoners 
of Earl Douglas and many others. Immediately, on hearing of this 
victory, Henry sent orders to the earl not to admit any of his prisoners 
to ransom ; an interference with his rights which the Percys highly 
resented. 

3. By conferring together upon the subject, they became more and 
more angry ; and Henry Percy, who was surnamed Hotspur, from 
his fiery temper, urged on his father and uncle till they resolved to 
dethrone King Henry, thinking that they could do this with as little 
difficulty as they had found in dethroning Richard. 

4. Douglas was released, and engaged to assist them in their en- 
terprise, and an invitation was also sent to Glendower to join them. 
Douglas and Hotspur were first in the field, but before they could be 
joined by Glendower, King Henry was already upon them. 

5. A decisive battle was fought at Shrewsbury, July 21st, 1403. 
Henry commanded his forces in person, assisted by his son, Henry. 
The greatest bravery and skill was shown on both sides, and the event 
of the contest was long doubtful. 

throne ? 5. What circumstance shows the change in the relative power of the king and 
the barons ? 7. What danger did the king escape ? 8, 9. What of Owen Glendower? 

XCIV. —2. How did Henry offend the Earl of Northumberland ? 3, 4. What did their 
resentment lead them to do 1 5. When and where was the decisive battle fought 1 6 



168 SEIZURE OF THE YOUNG PRINCE OF SCOTLAND. — 1406. 

6. The king had caused several of his attendants to wear armor 
resembling his own, and Douglas, who ardently desired to engage 
with him personally, sought him over the field, and often thought he 
had fought with him and slain him ; but he as often found himself 
deceived, and was at last himself taken prisoner. Hotspur was killed, 
and the royal army remained masters of the field. 

7. The king, remembering the former services of Northumberland, 
and pitying the poor old man's bereaved condition, granted him his 
life, and soon after restored to him almost all his honors and estates. 

8. Scarcely was one rebellion quelled before another broke out, at 
the head of which were Scrope, Archbishop of York, and Thomas 
Mowbray, the Earl-Marshal of England. Northumberland had also 
once more taken up arms against the king ; but before he could join 
his forces to those of the others, their followers were already dis- 
persed, and themselves in the power of the king. 

9. This was effected by an act of the grossest perfidy and false- 
hood on the part of the king's general, sanctioned by himself. The 
chief rebels were beheaded, even Scrope himself; which was the first 
instance in England of a bishop's being punished with death. 

10. The common people looked upon this as an act of gross impi 
ety, and as the king was soon after afflicted with a loathsome eruption 
in his face, they considered it as a direct punishment for the offence 
against Heaven. 

11. Northumberland, after several years of exile and wandering, 
was killed in a last attempt to overthrow the power of Henry. The 
repeated ill-success of these rebellions at length subdued all the king's 
enemies. Even the Welsh, in despair of recovering their independ- 
ence, abandoned Glendower, who wandered about in various disguises 
during the rest of his life. 



CHAPTER XCV. 

Henry seizes the young Prince of Scotland, and keeps him a 
Prisoner eighteen years. — Character of James I. of Scotla?id. 

1. It would be thought very strange, at the present day, if a king 
should seize upon the infant son of another king, with whom he was 
at peace, as the prince was passing on the sea from his own country 
to another, and should keep him a prisoner for a great number of 
years ; yet such a procedure was in perfect accordance with the no- 
tions of justice held in the time of Henry IV. 

2. Robert III., King of Scotland, was a prince of a very feeble 
character, and the affairs of the nation were ruled by his brother, the 
Duke of Albany, a restless and ambitious man, who governed in a 

What expedient did Henry adopt to deceive the enemy? What was the fate of several 
leaders? S. Who were engaged in the next rebellion? 9. What was the result of it? 
What did the common people think of the punishment of Scrope? 11. What became 
of the rest of the king's enemies? 
XCV. — 2. What is said of Robert III. of Scotland 1 What of the Duke of Albany 5 



ANECDOTE OF PRINCE HENRY. — 1412. 169 

most arbitrary manner, and even imprisoned and starved to death the 
eldest, of the king's two sons. 

3. The youngest son, James, was then ten years old, and the king 
being anxious to save him from falling into the hands of his cruel 
uncle, resolved to send him into France, in charge of the Earl of Ork- 
ney. They accordingly embarked, and set sail ; but their vessel was 
taken by an English ship. 

4. The prince and his attendants were conveyed to Henry, who, 
on being told by the Earl of Orkney that the young prince was going 
to France to learn French, said, " I understand French, and there- 
fore ought to be entrusted with his education." He then committea 
James and his attendants close prisoners to the Tower. 

5. The poor old father was thrown into such agonies of grief by 
the news, that he died in three days. The Duke of Albany then 
assumed the government of Scotland as regent ; but would do nothing 
to procure the release of James, who, by the death of his father, had 
become king. It was not until eighteen years afterwards, at the death 
of the Duke of Albany, that James obtained his liberty, being then 
ransomed by the people of Scotland. 

6. But Henry made some amends for his unjust and cruel conduct, 
by giving the young prince the best education the times afforded. He 
excelled in tilting, wrestling, archery, and all the exercises then prac- 
tised by young men of rank ; as well as in the more refined studies of 
oratory, law, and the philosophy of those times. 

7. He had also an extraordinary talent for music and poetry ; in- 
deed, some say that he was the inventor of that sweet and plaintive 
style of music which is peculiar to Scotland. His poetry is quite 
extraordinary, considering the time in which it was written, and some 
of his ballads continue to be popular to the present day. In one of 
his poems he describes very touchingly his manner of life when he 
was a prisoner. 

8. When restored to his kingdom, he proved the best king that ever 
sat on the Scottish throne. He made excellent laws, and reformed 
many abuses. The name of James I. of Scotland is still held in rev- 
erence by his countrymen. 



CHAPTER XCVI. 

Anecdotes of Prince Henry. — Death of Henry IV. 

1. Henry had now some respite from his enemies, but he had 
none from the bitter reflections of his own mind, which was a perpet- 
ual prey to remorse and fear. »He also suffered greatly from ill health. 
To add to his unhappiness, his son, the " Madcap Harry," when not 

3. Why did Robert wish to send his son to France? Did he reach there? 4. What was 
done with the prince by Henry ? 5. How Ion? did the prince remain a prisoner ? 6. 
What amends did Henry make for his conduct? 7. What is said of James' poetry and 
music? 8. What of his character as kine? 
XCVI. — 1. What is said of the condition of Henry ? 2, 3. Relate the story of Princa 
15 



170 



DEATH OF HENRY IV. — 1413. 



engaged in war, in which he displayed great courage and ability, led 
r most disorderly life. 




«j 


HI ji 


n 



•IllllllliUt- > 

Prince Henry striking the judge. 

2. One of his companions was arrested for a highway robbery, and 
brought before the chief justice, Gascoigne, for examination ; the evi- 
dence was strong against him, but the prince, who was present, re- 
quired that he should be released. Gascoigne refused to comply with 
this demand ; whereupon the prince became so much exasperated as 
to forget for the moment where he was, and he actually struck the 
judge as he sat upon the bench. 

3. The judge forthwith vindicated the dignity of his office, by 
sending the prince to prison ; and he, at once acknowledging the im- 
propriety of his own conduct, submitted to the punishment. When 
this incident was related to the king, he exclaimed, " Happy the mon- 
arch who possesses a judge so resolute in the discharge of his duty, 
and a son so willing to submit to the law !" 

4. The king's health now rapidly failed. As his strength declined, 
his fears of rebellions, and of being deposed, increased even to childish 
-nxiety ; he could not sleep unless the crown itself was laid upon his 
i'illow. He became subject to dreadful fits, which would cause him 
to fall down apparently dead. 

5. One day, when he was in one of these fits, the prince, who be- 
lieved him to be actually dead, took the crown from his pillow, and 
carried it away. When the king came to his senses he instantly 
missed it, and sternly asked who had dared to remove it. 

6. The prince made a dutiful apology, which pacified the king, 

Henry and the chief justice. 4. What is said of Henry's fears? 5, 6, 7. Relate the 
anecdote of the king and the prince. When did Henry die ? What was his age ? How 
Ions had he reigned 1 



PRINCE HENRY AND THE LOLLARD 17. 

who said with a sigh, " Alas, fair son, what right have you to the 
crown, when you know your father has none?" " My liege," an- 
swered the prince, " with your sword you won it, and with the sword 
I will keep it." 

7. " Well," said the king, " do as you please ; I leave the issue to 
God, and hope he will have mercy on my soul." Not long after- 
wards, on the 20th of March, 1413, while he was at church, he was 
seized with a fit, and soon expired. This happened in the 45th year 
of his age, and the 14th of his reign. 

TABLE OF THE FAMILY OF HENRY IV. 

WIVES. 

Mary de Bohun, daughter of an English noble. 
Jane, daughter of the King of Navarre. 

SONS. 

Henry, Punce of Wales. 

Thomas, Duke of Clarence. 

John, Duke of Bedford, afterwards Regent of France. 

Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester, afterwards Regent if England. 

DAUGHTERS. 

Blanche, who married the Duke of Bavaria. 
Philippa, who married the King of Denmark. 



CHAPTER XCVII. 

Story of Prince Henry and the Lollard. — Dress of the Ladies, 

1. From the anecdotes we have already related, the reader has 
douhtless formed an opinion of the character of Prince Henry ; but 
we may mention another, illustrative of a different trait. We must 
first state, however, that the Lollards were subjected to grievous inflic- 
tions in the reign of Henry IV. 

2. Arundel, Archbishop of Canterbury, was the chief persecutor, 
and caused many of them to be put to death. " One of these, named 
Badby, was sentenced to be burned at Smithfield. He was accord- 
ingly tied to a stake, and fagots were piled around him. 

3. Just as they were about to set fire to these, the prince roue up 
to him, and besought him to renounce his opinions, and save his life, 
promising to provide him with the means of living comfortably, if he 
would do so. 

\. The poor man thanked the prince with many expressions of 
gratitude ; but said that, as he firmly believed his opinions to be true, 
he would not sacrifice his conscience to save his life. 

5. The prince had no power to protect him from the fury of the 
churchmen upon any other terms. When the fagots were, therefore, 

XCVII. — 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Relate the story of Prince Henry and the Lollard. 7 Wluit \a 



.72 HENRY V. — 1413. 

set on fire, he came again, and entreated the sufferer to recant ; but 
he continued steadfast as before, and was accordingly burned to death. 

6. As a relief to this horrible story, we may now give a few amus- 
ing details of a different character. The fantastic dress of the gentle- 
men of a preceding reign will be recollected ; that of the ladies now 
was not less extraordinary. Their head-dresses were the most pre- 
posterous structures that can be imagined. 

7. Some of them were like steeples, with long streamers hanging 
down from the top ; others were so immensely broad, as well as high, 
that the head appeared like a loaded wagon. This fashion was car- 
ried to such an extreme by the Queen of France, that the door-ways 
of some of the royal palaces had to be made wider and higher, that 
she might be able to pass through them. 

8. Some ladies fastened two great projecting towers of rolled lawn 
and riband on their heads, which looked like enormous horns. The 
rest of the dress was not ungraceful. The waist was worn short, and 
the petticoat very full and flowing, and adorned with broad borders of 
fur, or with other ornaments. 

9. At one time there was a fashion of wearing immoderately large 
sleeves, ending in a pouch, whicli answered the purposes of a pocket ; 
but this awkward contrivance did not last long, for in most of the pic- 
tures of the fifteenth century, both ladies and gentlemen are drawn 
with bags hanging from the girdle, instead of these sleeve pouches. 

10. The dresses of the higher ranks were chiefly made of silk or 
cloth with richly embroidered girdles. The gentlemen did not wear 
tight coats, as they do now ; but a tight waistcoat, with a loose robe 
over it. On one occasion, Prince Henry is described as having been 
dressed in a blue satin robe, full of eyelet holes, and from each hole 
hung the needle it was worked with. The laborers and poor people 
were forbidden to wear anything but coarse flannel or fustian clothes, 
with linen girdles. 



CHAPTER XCVIII. 

Henry V. — His good Qualities and great Popularity. — 
Persecution of the Lollards. — Lord Cobham. 

1. As soon as Prince Henry heard that his father was dead, he went 
to his own chamber, and spent the remainder of the day in retirement 
and prayer. The next morning he sent for the companions of his 
youthful follies, and told them that he was now going to lead an altered 
life, and to enter upon new and important duties. 

2. At the same time he forbid them to appear in his presence, till 
they, like himself, should have reformed their conduct. He then sent 
for the wise ministers of his father who had checked his extravagant 
conduct, and received them with marks of favor and confidence. 

said of the ladies' head-dresses ? 8, 9. What of the rest of the dress? 10. What wag 
the material of the dress ? 
XCVIII. — 1. What did Prince Henry do, when he heard of his father's death 1 2. How 



INVASION OF FRANCE. — 1413. 173 

Chief Justice Gascoigne, who trembled to approach the royal presence, 
met with the praises he merited, instead of the reproaches he feared. 

3. The young king possessed in an eminent degree the qualities 
which were most calculated to make him a favorite with the people. 
Even in the midst of the wildest excesses he had given proof of a good 
and feeling heart. His person was tall and slender, his hair dark, and 
his features exceedingly beautiful. His accession to the throne was 
received with general joy. 

4. Henry, trusting in this his general popularity, set at liberty 
Edmund Mortimer, Earl of March, who had been kept in close con- 
finement during the whole of the preceding reign. Mortimer showed 
his sense of the king's kindness by discovering to him a conspiracy 
which the nobles had entered into to place him upon the throne. 

5. He also recalled the son of Hotspur, and restored to him all the 
estates and honors of his family. In short, his conduct fully justified 
the high opinion the nation had formed of him. Almost the only 
blemish upon it was his permitting the persecution of the Lollards, 
and here we may suppose that he was actuated by a mistaken zeal for 
what he considered the true religion. 

6. One of the most distinguished followers of the new doctrines 
was Lord Cobham. He had formerly led a very wicked life ; but 
from the time that he adopted the reformed opinions, he had lived a 
moral and religious one. The king, thinking highly of him as a wise 
and virtuous man, attempted to reason with him on what he himself 
thought the fallacy of his new opinions. 

7. Henry, after a long conversation, became so much shocked at 
Cobham's obstinacy in defence of his faith, that he turned him over to 
the bishops, who condemned him to death as a confirmed heretic. 
He contrived, however, to escape from the tower before the day ap- 
pointed for his execution ; but engaging afterwards in a plot against 
the king, he was seized and executed. 



CHAPTER XCIX. 

Henry V. invades France. — Is involved in many Dangers, 
but extricates himself by the Victory of Agincourt. 

1. Few of the kings of England have been able to resist the temp- 
tation of making war upon France, whenever a favorable opportunity 
has offered. At this time that country was torn in pieces hy furious 
factions among the nobles, and seemed to offer itself an easy prey to 
the invader. 

2. It is not surprising, therefore, that the military ardor of Henry 

did he treat his late companions ? How his fit Iter's ministers ? 3. What, is said of his 
character and personal appearance? 4,5. What eenerons acts did he do ? 0,7. What 
blemish up. m his character? What is said of Lord Cobham ? 
A'CIX. — 1. What is said of the slate of France? 2 What was Henry IV.'s dying 
IS* 



174 INVASION OF FRANCE. — 1413. 

induced him to revive the claim to the crown of that country, which 
had been urged by Edward III. In making war, Henry likewise 
obeyed the dying injunctions of his father. He also deemed that some 
employment must be found for the restless activity of the English, 
which, if not turned against foreign enemies, would certainly break 
out in open rebellion against their own king. 

3. Henry accordingly assembled a large fleet and army at South- 
ampton, and, crossing over to France, landed near Harfleur, which 
place he took after a vigorous resistance, whilst the French princes 
were contending among themselves as to who should command the 
army assembled to oppose him. 

4. Henry soon began to repent of his rash inroad into France. 
The fatigues of the siege, the unusual heat of the weather, and the 
indiscretion of the troops in eating too much fruit, had so wasted the 
English army, that Henry could enter upon no further enterprises ; 
as he had sent away the ships which brought him over, he had no 
means of reaching England but by proceeding first to Calais. 

5. The whole distance lay through the enemy's country ; there 
were strong towns to pass, and deep rivers to cross ; and an army ot 
one hundred thousand Frenchmen was in the field. The attempt, 
therefore, on the part of Henry, with a force now reduced to less than 
twelve thousand, appeared to be almost desperate. 

6. Nothing daunted, however, he departed from Harfleur in Octo- 
ber, 1415, proceeding by easy marches, and enforcing the strictest 
discipline. He paid the country people liberally for everything he 
had of them, and they consequently brought him supplies of provisions, 
in spite of the orders they had received to the contrary. 

7. During the march the king fared no better than the common 
soldier, and encouraged his men by the cheerful and friendly manner 
in which he conversed with them. Thus they proceeded till the 24th 
of October, when, upon their arrival near the town of Agincourt, they 
beheld the whole French army drawn up at some distance before 
them. 

8. Henry took an attentive survey of the country from a high hill, 
and saw that it was equally impossible to retreat or to advance. He 
therefore immediately set about his preparations for a battle ; for to 
surrender without a blow never once entered his mind. 

9. He chose his position on a small rising ground, surrounded by 
trees and brushwood. He then placed guards and lighted fires, and 
the army, with the exception of some who passed in prayer what 
they supposed would be the last night of their lives, retired to rest. 
As some of the nobles were conversing together, one of them said, he 
wished all the brave men, who were then living idly in England, were 
there to help them. 

10. The king happened to hear them, and cried out, " No ! I would 
not have one more here. If we are defeated, we are too many ; but 
if it please God to give us the victory, as I trust he will, the smaller 
jur number, the greater our glory."' 

advice to his son? Why did he eive it? 3. What did Henry V. do? 4, 5. In whal 
difficulties was he involved ? 6. What is said of his conduct on the march ? 7. When 
did they arrive at Agincourt? 8,9. What did Henry do? 10. What was his speeeh 



BATTLE OF AGINCOURT. — 1415. 



175 



11. The French passed the night in noisy festivity ; and, confident 
of victory on the morrow, it was agreed among them that all the Eng- 
lish should be put to the sword, excepting the king and the chief 
nobility, who were to be saved for the sake of their ransoms. 

12. We need not detain the reader by giving the details of the 
battle, which took place the next day. It would be but the story of 
Cressy and Poictiers over again. The French, proud of their own 
strength, and despising the weakness of the enemy, acted with rash- 
ness and fool-hardiness, which gave to their cautious and well-disci- 
plined enemy a complete victory. 




Battle of Aginconrt. 



13. The king himself displayed a valor worthy of the Black Prince. 
Arrayed in shining armor, with a crown of gold, adorned with precious 
stones, on his head, he was easily to be distinguished in the thickest 
of the fight. Eighteen French knights had made a vow to kill or 
take the English king, and they all lost their lives in attempting to 
fulfil it. 

14. They were all slain by David Cam, the king's faithful squire, 
and two other Welshmen, who defended him at the cost of their own 
lives. Henry knighted them as they lay bleeding to death at his feet. 
One might think it could do the dying man but little good to say to 
him, '* Rise up, Sir David Cam !" but it was the only means at that 
moment in the king's power to express his sense of gratitude and re- 
gard for so faithful a servant. 

15. The battle being at an end, Henry called upon the French 
herald, who was named Mountjoy, to declare to whom the victory 

to suine of the nobles ? 11. How diii the French pass the night ? 12. What of the con- 
duct of the two parlies ? 13. What of the conduct of the king in the battle '? 14. How 

did lie reward his faithful squire ? 15. What is the batlle called 1 Where was it fought? 



176 HENRY AGAIN INVADES FRANCE. -1417. 

belonged ; and he adjudging it to the English, the king asked him the 
name of a neighboring castle, to which he pointed with his finger. 
"It is called Agincourt," replied the herald; then said the king, 
" This action shall henceforth be called The Battle of Agincourt." 



CHAPTER C. 

Henry again invades France. — Makes a Treaty, by which tie 
is constituted Regent of that Kingdom, and declared to be 
the Successor to the Crozvn. — His Death. 

1. The victory of Agincourt was of little real service to Henry, for 
he was too weak to take advantage of the dismay of the French, to 
extend his conquests in their country. It served, perhaps, to make the 
king's popularity at home more firm, but at the same time it inspired 
him with a love of new conquests. 

2. With this view he returned to England, to procure a fresh sup- 
ply of men and money. The people crowded to receive him, and were 
in such ecstasies of joy, that when he approached Dover, many of them 
plunged into the sea to meet his barge 

3. In August, 1417, Henry again invaded France at the head of a 
considerable army. The quarrels among the nobles had left that coun- 
try in a more defenceless state even than before. No preparations had 
been made for opposing the progress of the English, and they marched 
forward into the country, taking possession of all the towns in their 
way. 

4. At last, when they had conquered the whole of Normandy, the 
contending factions in France began to consider, when too late, what 
was to be done. An apparent reconciliation took place between the 
parties. But this was put an end to by the murder of the Duke of 
Burgundy, as it was supposed by the instigation of the dauphin, as 
the eldest son of the King of France was always called, as the eldest 
son of the King of England is called the Prince of Wales. 

5. Philip, the new Duke of Burgundy, forgetting every other con- 
sideration in his desire of vengeance for his father's death, entered 
into a treaty with Henry, by which it was agreed that the latter should 
govern France, during the life of the present king, with the title of 
regent, and at his death should succeed to the crown in exclusion of 
the dauphin ; thus France and England were to be forever united in 
one monarchy. 

6. Charles VI., King of France, whose title for life was thus 
respected, was a poor deranged man, and his person was in the pos- 
session of the Burgundians. They compelled him to give his assent 
to this treaty, which disinherited his own son, and gave hjs kingdom 
to its most bitter enemies. 

C. — 1. What is said of the advantages of the victory at Agincourt? 2. How was 
Henry received in England? 3. When did Henry again invade France ? What is said 
of the condition of France? 4. How was the reconciliation amon? the French nobles 



DEATH OF HENRY V. — 1422. 177 

7. In fulfilment of the terms of the same treaty, Henry married 
Catharine, daughter of the French king. The two kings with their 
queens made a triumphant entry into Paris, in May, 1420, where the 
union of the two crowns was celebrated with great outward demon- 
strations of joy. 

8. But the dauphin did not submit tamely to the loss of his inher- 
itance. Retiring with a few followers to a distant part of France, he 
assumed the title of regent, and vigorously defended the few places 
that still adhered to him. 

9. In 1422, Henry took the command of the army employed 
against the dauphin ; but being taken sick, was obliged to resign it to 
his brother, the Duke of Bedford. He then retired to Vincennes, 
near Paris, where he grew rapidly worse. He soon felt himself to be 
near his end, and sent for the Duke of Bedford and the Earl of War 
wick to receive his last directions. 

10. He appointed the Duke of Bedford Regent of France, and 
the Duke of Gloucester Regent of England. His infant son he com- 
mitted to the care of Warwick. Pie also gave particular orders that 
the prisoners taken at Agincourt should not be released till this son, 
then only a few months old, should be of age. 

11. After he had given his final directions, he asked his physi- 
cians "how long they thought he might live?" And when they 
told him, " About two hours," he shut out from his thoughts every 
earthly care, and spent his remaining moments in devotion. He died 
August 31st, 1422, in the thirty-fourth year of his age, and the tenth 
of his reign. 

12. His funeral proeession was conducted with great pomp through 
France, and afterwards from Dover to Westminster, where he was 
buried. Tapers were kept burning day and night on his tomb for 
nearly one hundred years, and might be burning still, perhaps, if such 
customs had not gone out of fashion at the Reformation. 

TABLE OF THE FAMILY OF HENRY V. 
WIFE. 

Catharine, of France, married afterwards to Owen Tudor, a Welsh gentleman, 
who does not appear to have had anything to recommend him but his beauty 
and his fine dancing. 

SON. 

Henry, Prince of Wales, who was born December 6, 1421. 



Catharine had three sons after she married Owen Tudor ; namely, Edmund, 

Earl of Richmond, father of Henry Tudor, afterwards King Henry VII. 
Jasper, Earl of Pembroke. 
Owen. 

defeated? 5. What did the new Duke of Bunrundy do ? 6. What is said of the King 
Df France? 7. Whom did Henry marry? 9. What happened to Henry in 1422? 10. 
What were his last directions? 11. When did he die? What was his age? What the 
^ngth of his reisn? 12. What honors were paid him after death? 

12 



178 



THE ENGLISH IN THE FIFTEENTH CENTURY. 



CHAPTER CI. 

Domestic Habits of the English in the Fifteenth Century. 




Costumes of the Fifteenth Century. 

1. It is time to say something of the domestic habits of the Eng- 
lish at this period of history. The nobility no longer lived shut up in 
gloomy castles, but began to inhabit large rambling houses, built of 
timber, and covered with plaster. The outside wood-work was very 
much carved, and the windows were large and wide. 

2. The principal apartment was the hall, which was two or three 
stories high, and commonly had an entrance porch. The floor of the 
upper end of the hall was raised about one foot higher than the rest, 
and called the dais ; here the lord of the mansion was accustomed to 
sit with his guests. 

3. The lower part was common to the menials of the family, of 
whom there were in every house a great number. The furniture of 
these halls was not very sumptuous, and usually consisted of only a 
long table fastened to the floor, three or four wooden benches for the 
gentlemen, with some low stools for the ladies, and perhaps a cup- 
board in the corner. 

4. The most frequent decoration for the walls was tapestry, which 
was hung on large hooks, and taken down in summer. Few houses 

CI. — 1. What change in the place of residence of the nobles? 2. What was th? 
dais? 3 How was the hall furnished? 4. What was the reredosse? 5, 6. What of 



THE ENGLISH IN THE FIFTEENTH CENTURY. 179 

had chimneys ; in most the fire was placed on a large stone hearth in 
the middle of the floor, called a reredosse, and, unless when a hole 
in the roof was made for it, the smoke found its way out through the 
rafters. There was a little ledge round the hearth to prevent the 
ashes and blazing sticks from falling about. 

5. The entertainments of the nobles were conducted with much 
pomp and stateliness. The lord of the mansion sat in state at the 
head of the long, clumsy, oaken board, and his guests were seated on 
each side, according to their rank. The table was loaded with capa- 
cious pewter dishes of venison, poultry, wild fowls, fish, dressed in 
different fashions ; roasted cranes and stewed porpoises being favorite 
dishes. The tables were decorated with castles made of pastry, and 
tigers of jelly. 

6. Ale, beer, and wine were plentifully furnished, and handed to 
the company in pewter or wooden cups. The feast was enlivened by 
singers, minstrels and dances. But the entertainment was not con- 
ducted according to our notions of delicacy and cleanliness. Over- 
head were the perches for hawks, and under foot the pavement was 
crowded with dogs, gnawing the bones that were thrown to them. 

7. In some houses, while the company sat at one end of the hall, 
the servants dressed the dinner at the other end. This, upon common 
occasions, w r as plain enough ; an enormous dish of salt fish, and huge 
joints of beef, with a little garnish of cabbage, formed the every-day 
dinner of many a noble baron. 

8. When he and his guests had eaten what they chose, the serv- 
ing-men took their share, and what remained was given to the poor, 
who, at the hour of dinner, stood in crowds about the gates to receive 
it. It had now become the fashion in great families to have four 
meals a day. 

9. These were the breakfast at seven o'clock, dinner at ten, sup- 
per at four, and livery between eight and nine ; the last of these was 
a collection of cakes and mulled wine, taken in the bed-chamber, just 
before going to rest. 



CHAPTER CII. 

Domestic Habits of the English in the Fifteenth Century, con- 
tinued. — State of Learning. — Whittington, Lord Mayor. 

1. After this description of the furniture of the hall, we shall not 
expect to find that the accommodations for sleeping were very com- 
fortable. A poor person of the present day would excite the compas- 
sion of the benevolent, if he was as meanly lodged as was the richest 
nobleman in the reign of Henry V. ; a flock bed, and a chaff bolster 

entertainments? 7. What of cooking, and dishes? 8,9. What were the hours for 
meals 1 



180 



THE ENGLISH IN THE FIFTEENTH CENTURY. 



were then considered extraordinary luxuries ; while soft pillows were 
only made for sick people. 

2. The beds of the middle classes were straw pallets, covered with 
a sheet, and a log of wood for a bolster, with a blanket and coverlet, 
like those now used for horse-cloths. As for servants, it was very 
seldom they had any sheets at all to keep the hard straw from hurting 
them, and the sleeping in night clothes was an extravagance they did 
not indulge in. 

3. As field sports, such as hunting and hawking, were the chief 
delight of the nobles, they had no idea of going to London for amuse- 
ment, as their successors do now-a-days. Yet many of them had 
houses there, which they occupied when they were summoned thither 
by the king, or attended parliament, or went there for any other pub- 
lic occasion, &c. 

4. These houses were called inns ; as " Derby Inn," or " Furni- 
val's Inn," from the names of the owners. The common method of 
building houses in towns, was to make every story project beyond the 
one below it ; so that in narrow streets the top stories almost met. 




Whittington, Lord Mayor. 



5. Learning was very little esteemed at this period. Most of tb<3 
valuable places in the church were bestowed on illiterate men or 
foreigners, through the papal influence, while the best scholars 
in the kingdom were left to languish in want and obscurity. These 
were sometimes obliged to beg their bread from door to door, with 



CII. — 1, 2. What is said of the lod?inaf 1 3. What is said of the residence of the no- 
ties? 4. What was the style of building houses'/ 5. What is said of the state of learn 



THE MAID OF ORLEANS. — 1423. 1S1 

written certificates given them by the officers of the colleges in which 
they harl studied. 

6. Two of these learned beggars arrived one day at the castle of a 
nobleman, and presented their recommendations, for charity. From 
these he learned that they had a taste for poetry, whereupon he 
ordered his servants to take them to a draw-well, and, after putting 
each of them into a bucket, to let them down alternately into the 
water till they should make some verses upon the buckets. 

7. After they had endured this discipline for some time, to the 
great entertainment of the baron and his company, they made out to 
compose some stanzas, and were set at liberty. There were doubt- 
less impostors among the learned beggars then, as among the ship- 
wrecked and burnt-out beggars now ; and the two we have mentioned 
probably belonged to this class ; for such treatment would otherwise 
have been very inconsistent with the hospitality which was so univer- 
sal at that day. 

8. We have all heard the pleasant, story of Whittington and his cat. 
As to the cat, the historian cannot vouch for her existence ; but Whit- 
tington himself was a real person, and was actually " Lord Mayor of 
London" in the reign of Henry V. He was a very munificent per- 
sonage, and many of the charitable institutions founded by him exist 
to this day. 



CHAPTER CIII. 

Joan of Arc, the Maid of Orleans. 

1. It is not often that history presents to us three brothers of such 
fine qualities, and such superior abilities, as Henry V. and the dukes 
of Bedford and Gloucester. The Duke of Bedford was the superior. 
He equalled the king in valor and wisdom, and excelled him in the 
excellent virtues of clemency and command of temper. Gloucester, 
the good Duke Humphrey, as he was called, was a man of high prin- 
ciples and great integrity. 

2. The unfortunate King of France did not long survive his con- 
queror, and immediately upon his death, the dauphin, Charles VII., 
assumed the title of king. In spite of all his efforts to the contrary, 
he was fast losing the little territory he had left, when, by one of the 
most extraordinary circumstances that ever was recorded in history, 
he was enabled to regain all that his father had lost. 

3. The details of the deliverance of France from the English be- 
long more particularly to the history of that country, and you cannot 
have forgotten the story of the Maid of Orleans, as I there related it 
to you. 1 shall here repeat only the leading events in her life. 

4. Joan of Arc was a poor peasant girl, who served as the hostler 
at the inn of a small village in France. The tales told by the trav- 

ing? 6. 7. Relate the story of the two learned beggars. 8. What is said of Whit- 
tiueton? 

CIII. — 1. What is said of the Dukes of Bedford and Gloucester ? 4. Who was Joan -4 

10 



182 



THE MAID OF ORLEANS. — 1428. 



-Hers who stopped there, of the cruelties practised by the English, 
made a great impression upon her excitable mind ; and her enthu- 
siasm in behalf of her countrymen at last rose to such a pitch as 
to make her believe that she was appointed by God to be their de- 
liverer. 




Joan of Arc, the Maid of Orleans. 

5. Orleans was the sole town of importance remaining to Charles 
VII., and this had long been besieged by the English. Just at the 
moment when its deliverance seemed hopeless, and the fortunes of the 
French king to be in a desperate condition, Joan presented herself to 
that monarch, and made known to him what she called her divine 
commission. 

6. The king, glad to avail himself of any expedient to raise the 
spirits of his countrymen, accepted her offer of service. In a com- 
plete suit of armor, and mounted on a war-horse, which her employ- 
ment at the inn had made her expert in managing, she set off with a 
small escort of soldiers for Orleans. 

7. The report of her coming had gone before her, and the English 
troops, who believed her all that she declared herself to be, suf- 
fered her to pass through their camp without opposition, and to enter 
the city. A change at once took place in the state of affairs. Taking 
the command of the troops, she made repeated sallies upon the be- 
siegers, who fled at her approach without making any resistance, for 
they believed that in contending with her they were fighting against 
Heaven . 

8. The English commander was at length obliged to raise the 
siege, and thus Joan, who henceforth was called the Maid of Or- 



arc 1 What did she believe herself appointed to do? 5, 6, 7. Relate the events of her 



DEATH OF THE MAID OF ORLEANS. — 1431. 183 

leans, in part redeemed her promise. The French now became the 
assailants ; many towns were taken, and on every occasion the Maid 
behaved with the courage of an experienced soldier. 

9. Next to the relief of Orleans, the object which Joan had most 
at heart was that Charles should be crowned at Rheims, the usual 
place of the coronation of the kings of France. This seemed to be 
more difficult than her former exploits ; for the whole country in the 
neighborhood of that city was in the possession of the enemy. Here 
again the general superstition aided her, and she accomplished hei 
object. 

10. The ceremony of the coronation being over, Joan announced 
that her task was finished, and falling at the king's feet, besought 
him to permit her to return to her former station. But the king would 
not consent to this,. and constrained her to remain with the troops. 
He was too poor to make her any substantial return for her services, 
but as a token that he was not unmindful of them, he ennobled her 
family. 

11. On the first unexpected turn of fortune, the French command- 
ers had been willing to give all the honor of the successes to Joan ; 
but after a time they became jealous of her fame ; and one day when 
some troops under her command were repulsed near Campaigne, and 
obliged to retreat into the town, the governor admitted the whole party 
except poor Joan, who was purposely shut out. 

12. Being thus left alone in the midst of a host of enemies, she 
was pulled from her horse and made a prisoner. The treatment she 
received from Bedford is a dreadful blot upon the character of a man 
whose life had hitherto been more than ordinarily blameless. He caused 
her to be burned alive in the market-place of Rouen, on the 30th of 
May, 1431. The spot of this bloody sacrifice is yet marked by a 
statue of the heroic Maid. 

13. Bedford hoped, by her execution as a sorceress, to counteract 
the influence of superstition on the minds of both French and English. 
But the effect was very different from what he expected. Her death 
excited the horror and detestation of the English towards those con- 
cerned in it ; and the indignation of the French prompted them to yet 
greater exertions. 

14. The duke himself did not long survive his victim. On his 
death, he was buried at Rouen. When Charles VII. took possession 
of that city, his courtiers proposed to him to destroy the monument of 
black marble which had been erected over his grave. " No," said 
Charles, " let him repose in peace, and be thankful that he does repose, 
for were he to awake, he would make the stoutest of us tremble." 

life to the raising of the siege of Orleans. 9, 10, 11, 12. Relate the remaining events of 
her life. 13. What effect did Bedford hope to produce by her death? How were his 
expectations answered ? 14. What more is said of the duke ? 



184 



HENRY VI. —1429. 



CHAPTER CIV. 



Marriage 



Henry VI. — Quarrels hetween his Councillors. 

of the King with Margaret of Anjou. — Curious Charge 
of Sorcery. — Murder of the Duke of Gloucester. 




Crowning of Henry VI. 

1. Kings, however insignificant in character, cannot be entirely 
passed over. We must, therefore, say something- about Henry VI., 
who would himself have been glad to have remained in the back- 
ground during the whole of his life, for he was of a timid and quiet 
disposition, and entirely unfit for the cares of royalty. 

2. He inherited neither the fine qualities nor the majestic figure of 
his father, nor any of his mother's delicate beauty. His personal 
appearance was inelegant, his countenance dull and unmeaning. His 
character is thus described by an old historian : 

3. " There never was a more holy, nor a better creature, a man 
of a meek spirit and a simple wit, preferring peace to war, and rest 
to business, and honesty before profit. He was governed of those 
he should have ruled, and bridled of those he should have sharply 
spurred." 

4. Some witty person has said, " Princes are flattered by all things 



CIV. — 1, 2, 3. What of Henry VI. ? 5. What of his friend, the Earl of Wai wick ? 



MARGARET OF ANJOU. — 1444. l&d 

but *.hen horses, who will make no more ceremony about throwing a 
king man a groom," and few kings could have been earlier subjected 
to flattery than Henry VI. ; for, when only eight months old, he was 
kept quiet in his mother's lap to listen, or rather to appear to listen, to 
a long address from parliament, in which he was called a " most toward 
prince and sovereign governor." When he was only eight years old 
he was solemnly crowned at Paris as King of France. 

5. However, Henry was more fortunate than most princes in having 
one wise and sincere friend in the good old Beauchamp, Earl of War- 
wick, who, when the king was eleven years old, not only himselt 
reprimanded him, but also desired the council would in a body admon- 
ish him of his faults. 

6. After the death of Warwick, the care of the young king devolved 
principally upon Cardinal Beaufort, between whom and Gloucester, 
the Regent of England, quarrels were constantly taking place. When 
the king was twenty-four years old, the cardinal, in order to thwart, 
the good duke, formed a plan for the marriage of Henry with Mar- 
garet of Anjou. 

7. Gloucester, as if he had foreseen the miseries which this fatal 
union would bring upon the country, did all in his power to prevent it. 
But his efforts only made Beaufort and his party more eager to bring 
it about, and the marriage took place in 1445. 

8. Margaret was a woman of great accomplishments, but with a 
most vindictive temper. She never forgave the Duke of Gloucester 
for the opposition he had made to her marriage, and came to England 
vowing vengeance against him in her heart ; and she found willing 
associates in Cardinal Beaufort and the Duke of Suffolk. 

9. These noblemen had already commenced their machinations by 
accusing Eleanor Cotham, Gloucester's wife, of witchcraft. She was 
charged with having caused an image of the king to be made in wax ; 
this, the accusers said, was laid before a gentle fire, and as the wax 
dissolved, the king's strength was wasted ; and upon its total dissolu- 
tion, his life was to be at an end. 

10. Upon this absurd charge she was found guilty, and condemned 
to do public penance, and then to be imprisoned for life on the Isle of 
Man. One of the evidences brought fo prove that she was a witch 
was a paper of mathematical figures written by her priest, which the 
ignorance of the people who found it imagined to be some magical 
incantation. 

11. Having the support of the queen, these wicked nobles deter- 
mined now to attempt the destruction of the duke himself; he was 
accused of high treason, but the council, though composed entirely of 
his enemies, were compelled to pronounce him innocent of the charge. 
He was, notwithstanding, imprisoned, and soon afterwards found dead 
in his bed. 

12. If Margaret was really accessory to his murder, she was fully 
punished. Gloucester's death was, in fact, her greatest misfortune ; 



6, Who instigated him to marry Margaret of Anjou ? 7. Who opposed the marriage ? 
K. Whni of Margaret? 9. What charge was made against Eleanor Gotham '•' 10. What 
was otfeied as evidence against her? 11, 12. What more is said of Gloucester ? 
16* 



186 



DESIGNS OF THE DUKE OF YORK. — 1-144. 



for, had he lived, his ability, integrity, and great popularity, would 
probably have preserved the family from those calamities that after- 
wards befell them. 



CHAPTER CV. 

The Duke of York forms a Design to claim the Crown. — 
Insurrection of Jack Cade. 




Lossiiva, 



Jack Cade's rebellion. 

1. After the death of the Duke of Bedford, a considerable time 
elapsed before the English council could decide upon his successor. 
While they were disputing who should be Regent of France, the 
French were fast deciding the question for themselves; for Charles 
made himself master of Paris, and of many other important places. 

2. The Duke of York was at length appointed. When he arrived 
in France, he found the English cause in a very declining state, and 
only supported by the bravery and exertions of Lord Talbot, who was 
now the sole survivor of Henry the Fifth's brave band of warriors. 
The disputes and factions at home rendered all his efforts to preserve 
the possessions of the English in France of no avail ; and in 1444 a 
truce for six years was agreed upon. 

3. The Duke of York conducted the affairs in France with great 
wisdom and p rudence, but he would not consent to become the tool 

9 wi,;T«L ^!i at J, S | Said ° f lhB , ? P .? 0i A\V nent 0f ra ^ nt ,br France after Bedford's death ? 
Z. Who was at length appointed.' 3. What was the cause of the recall of York 1 4, What 



INSURRECTION OF JACK CADE. — 1450. 1S7 

of the queen and Suffolk, who now managed everything their own 
way, and he was therefore recalled, and the Duke of Somerset ap- 
pointed in his stead. 

4. Suffolk and Margaret had soon reason to repent of this unwise 
measure ; for York, who had hitherto been a loyal subject, feeling him- 
self greatly injured, now meditated revenge, by asserting his own claim 
to the crown. By his father he was descended from Edward the 
Third's youngest son. 

5. From his mother, who was the last of the Mortimers, he inher- 
ited the claim of that family from Lionel, second son of the same king. 
We must not forget that John of Gaunt, from whom Henry VI. was 
descended, was Edward's third son ; therefore York, in right of his 
mother, had certainly a superior claim to the crown. He kept his de- 
signs secret for some time, waiting for an opportunity of forwarding 
them. 

6. The bad management of affairs, both at home and abroad, by 
which the English possessions in France had been so much reduced 
that only Calais remained of them, excited the popular indignation so 
much, that, in 1450, the parliament was compelled to bring charges 
of high treason against Suffolk. 

7. The queen contrived to get him off with five years' banishment, 
and he sailed for France. But his enemies, who feared that Margaret 
would recall him, employed a captain of a vessel to intercept him in 
his passage. Being brought to Dover, his head was struck off on the 
side of a boat, and his body thrown into the sea. 

8. The popular discontent likewise displayed itself in tumults and 
insurrections. The most formidable was one that broke out in Kent, 
headed by a man named Jack Cade, who defeated an army of the king's 
troops at Sevenoaks. Elated by his victory, he advanced to London. 

I). Entering the city, he put to death the sheriff and several nobles, 
and striking with a staff what is called London Stone, (a stone which 
is yet to be seen in London, and is supposed to have been placed in 
its present position by the Romans, to mark the spot from which they 
measured the distance from the city,) he said, " Now I am master of 
London." 

10. But his triumph did not last long ; for, on the appearance of a 
body of troops, his followers fled, and upon a pardon being offered to 
all who should return to their homes, they deserted their leader, and 
Cade soon found himself alone. For a short time he wandered about 
in disguise, but was at last found lurking in a garden in Sussex, and 
put to death on the spot. 

claim had York lo the crown ? 6. What is said of the management of.affairs by Mar- 
garet and Suffolk 1 7. What was the fate of Suffolk ? 8, 9, 10. Relate the particulars 
of Jack Cade's insurrection. 



188 THE WAR OF THE TWO ROSES. -1455. 



CHAPTER CVI. 

Battle of St. Alba?is. — The Duke of York claims the Crown. 
— Warwick, the King-maker. 

1. As the necessity for keeping an English regent in France had 
now ceased, Somerset returned to England, and succeeded to Suffolk's 
place in the confidence and favor of the queen. His misconduct in 
France had made him very unpopular, and his administration was very 
naturally compared with that of York, who had acquitted himself very 
well during his regency. 

2. In 1454, the king sunk into a state of total bodily and mental 
weakness. The Duke of York was thereupon made protector of the 
kingdom ; and the first use he made of his power was to put Somerset 
in prison. The king soon after recovered his reason, and then Som- 
erset was set at liberty, and York removed from the protectorship. 

3. The quarrel between these two nobles soon after threw the 
whole kingdom into a ferment. They both assembled their friends 
and vassals, and met at St. Albans, where a desperate battle was 
fought, May 3, 1455, in which Somerset was killed and the Duke of 
York was completely victorious. 

4. The king, whom Somerset had dragged, much against his will, 
into the battle, was wounded, and took refuge in the house of a 
tanner. Here the Duke of York found him, and falling upon his 
knees before him, declared himself his loyal -subject, and ready to 
obey his commands. " If so," said the king, " stop the pursuit and 
slaughter." 

5. This was the commencement of the wars between the Houses 
of York and Lancaster ; a war which lasted thirty years, cost the 
lives of eighty royal princes, and almost entirely annihilated the 
ancient nobility of England. It is sometimes called the war between 
the two roses, because the badge worn by the adherents of the house 
of York was a white rose, whilst those of Lancaster w r ore a reu 
rose. 

6. Henry was conducted to London by the Duke of York, who 
treated him with the greatest submission and respect. Notwithstand- 
ing his professions of loyalty, yet, under pretence of freeing the king 
from evil counsellors, he continued to carry on the war against the 
queen and her party. 

7. At last, the duke declared his secret views on the crown itself ; 
and on this, many who had joined him because they supposed he was 
contending for the public good, deserted his standard. He, seeing 
himself thus suddenly abandoned, retired into Ireland. 

CVI — 1. Who succeeded to Suffolk's place? 2. When, and for what reason, was 
York made protector? What followed the kind's recovery? 3. When was the battle 
of St. Albans fought? Between what parties? What was the result? 4. What be- 
came of the kins ? 5. What war was this the commencement of? Why is it called the 
war of the Two Roses ? 6. How was Henry treated by the Duke of York? 7. What 



CONTINUATION OF THE WAR. — 1456. 



189 



8. Bat he left a very able and zealous friend in England. This 
was his wife's brother, Nevil, Earl of Warwick, commonly called, 
from subsequent events, The King*maker. This nobleman was the 
richest subject in the kingdom. On his different estates he maintained 
SO, 000 people, — a very great number, when we remember that 
the whole kingdom did not probably at that time contain more than 
2,300,000. 

0. Stow, a writer of that day, describes Warwick coming into Lon- 
don w'ith a train of 600 men, all in red jackets, embroidered on the 
sleeves with the bear and ragged staff, the badge of his family. He 
lodged in his house in Warwick Lane, and six fat oxen were often 
consumed in it for one breakfast. 

10. Not only his own people were fed at his cost, but all persons 
who had any acquaintance with those of his household might come 
and carry off as much boiled and roasted meat as they could bear away 
on their dagger ; so that it is no wonder that he was very popular. 



CHAPTER CVII. 

Continuation of the War between the Tico Roses. — Death of 
the Duke of York. — His Son proclaimed King by the title 
of Edward IV. 




Wars of the Roses. 



1. Warwick, having assembled an army, met the royalists at 
Northampton, where he obtained so decided a victory over them, that 



win the consequence of the duke's de^larim 
wick's style of living? 



his intentions? 8. What is said of War 



190 



DEATH OF THE DUKE OF YORK. -1160. 



they fled in all directions. The queen and her son with great diffi- 
culty escaped into Scotland. The king- was found sitting alone in his 
tent, and carried by Warwick in triumph to London. 

2. The Duke of York now returned to England, and laid before 
parliament his claim to the crown. There was no doubt that he was 
the direct heir of Edward III., but the parliament was unwilling to 
dethrone the reigning king. It was therefore determined that Henry 
should remain king during his life, but that on his death, the Duke of 
York and his heirs should succeed. 

3. But Margaret was not of a disposition calmly to see her son thus 
set aside. By great exertions she collected a body of 20,000 men, 
who were induced to enter her service by the promise of giving them 
the plunder of the fertile lands of England. 

4. With these she advanced towards London, and at Wakefield 
was met by the Duke of York, who, ignorant of the number of her 
forces, had with him only 5,000 men. He wished to wait until his 
son, Edward, should arrive with a reinforcement ; but by the advice 
of his generals he changed his plan, and on the 30th of December, 
1460, marched to meet the enemy ; a fatal determination, for his little 
army was entirely defeated. 




Head of the Duke of York. 

5. He himself was among the first who fell, and the spot where 
he was slain is still fenced off in the corner of a field near Sandal. 

CVII. — 1. What did Warwick do ? What became of the queen and her son ? What 
of the king? 2. What is said of the Duke of York? 3. How did Margaret receive the 
parliament decision ? By what promise did she collect an army ? 4. What of the bat 
tie of Wakefield ? 5. What was the fate of the Duke of York? 6. How many children 



BATTLE OF ST. ALBANS. — 1461. 



191 



He possessed many great and good qualities, and his death was sin- 
cerely lamented by all who had taken up his cause. 

6. He left three sons, Edward, George, and Richard, and three 
daughters. Another son, Edmund, a beautiful boy of twelve years 
of age, was killed on the same day with his father, being murdered in 
cold blood by Lord Clifford on Wakefield hedge, where a small chapel, 
which is still standing, was afterwards built, to perpetuate the memory 
of the bloody deed. 

7. Margaret, sanguinary and merciless, caused the head of the 
Duke of York to be cut off and fixed on the gates of York with a paper 
crown, in derision of his claim ; she also caused the most noble and 
valiant of the prisoners to be beheaded without any form of trial 

8. The queen then set forward to London ; and her followers fully 
availed themselves of the liberty to plunder, for they pillaged and 
burnt every church and dwelling, marking their way by fire and devas- 
tation. The Earl of Warwick hastened with his forces to meet her, 
taking with him the poor, passive king. 




The young Duke of York made King. 



9. The two armies met, on the 17th of February, 1461, and !M. 
Albans was the scene of a second bloody battle. The Lancastrians 
obtained the victory, and Warwick fled, leaving the king behind, who 



did he leave? 7,8. What did Margaret do after the battle ? 9. "What is said of the 
second battle of St. Albans ? What Of the conduct of the citizens of London towards 
Margaret? 10. What towards young Edward J 



192 EDWARD IV. — 1461. 

rejoiced to be restored to his wife and son. But the queen's triumph 
was of short duration ; the city of London was firm in the interests of 
the Yorkists ; and besides, the citizens feared to admit her tumultuous 
army, and refused to open their gates. 

10. Margaret was therefore compelled once more to retire to the 
north. Edward, the young Duke of York, having collected the 
remains of Warwick's army, entered London on the 3d of March, 
amidst the acclamations of the multitude. Warwick then assembled 
the people, and presenting the young duke to them, demanded 
whether they chose to have him or Henry for their king. 

11. Shouts of " A York! a York!" resounded from all sides, and 
the new king was at once proclaimed by the title of Edward IV. The 
next day he went in solemn procession to Westminster Hall, and 
taking his seat on the throne, received the homage of a great number 
of nobles and bishops. 

12. Thus ended the reign of Henry VI., who, while in his cradle, 
had been proclaimed King of England and France, and who began his 
life with the most splendid prospects. His ruin is to be attributed to 
his "want of capacity, and to the misconduct of his queen and her 
favorites. 

FAMILY OF RICHARD, DUKE OF YORK. 

WIFE. 
Anne, daughter of Beauchamp, Earl of Warwick. 

SONS. 

Edward, afterwards King of England. 

George, Duke of Clarence, executed. 

Richard, Duke of Gloucester, afterwards King Richard 111. 

DAUGHTERS. 
Anne. 
Margaret. 



CHAPTER CVIII. 

Edward IV. — The Civil War continues. — Adventures of 
Henry and his Queen. — Wretched Condition of the Lancas- 
trians. 

1. Edward was scarcely nineteen years old, when he found him- 
self, almost beyond his own expectation, placed upon the throne. He 
was brave, active, and enterprising, with a capacity far beyond his 
years. Comines, an old historian, tells us, that " he was tall of per- 
son, fair of face, of a most princely presence, and altogether the good 
liest man that ever mine eyes beheld." 

2. But one almost regrets to find these brilliant qualities in a 
prince whose character is blackened by the worst vices. In peace 

CVIII. — 1, 2. What of Edward IV. ? 3, 4. Wliere was the first battle fought ? What 



THE CIVIL WAR CONTINUES. — 1461. 



193 



Le revelled in every kind of self-indulgence, and in war was sangui- 
nary beyond all who had gone before him. 




Margaret and the robber. 

3. The first battle, after he became king, was fought at Touton. 
Never did two armies encounter each other with more inveterate 
hatred ; and the orders of the commanders on each side were to take 
no prisoners, and give no quarter. 

4. The battle lasted from early in the morning till late in the 
evening, and was one of the most bloody ever fought in Britain. The 
snow fell thickly, but the Yorkists had their backs to the storm, while 
the Lancastrians, who faced it, were greatly incommoded by it. The 
latter were defeated with great slaughter. Henry and his family 
waited the result at York, and, as soon as they heard of it, fled with 
the utmost precipitation to Scotland. 

5. Edward now satiated his revengeful temper by many bloody 
executions, and every Lancastrian who fell into his hands was con- 
demned as a traitor. To strengthen his own party, he conferred 
honors and titles on all his friends. Indeed, it had become quite 
necessary to make new peers, since the late exterminating battles, and 
the executions which followed them, had greatly reduced the numbers 
of the nobility. 

6. These reverses of fortune seemed only to increase the energy of 
Margaret. She made two voyages into France, in hopes of obtaining 
aid from thence. At last, by her untiring exertions, she raised an 
army, with which she invaded England by the way of Scotland. She 



is saiil of it? 



6. Whm is said of Margaret's energy ? 

13 



7. What of the defeat at Half- 



194 ADVENTURES OF HENRY AND HIS QUEEN. — 1464. 

met with some slight successes, hut was defeated at Hedgeby Moot 
April 25th, 1464 ; and three weeks afterwards at Hexham. 

7. This last defeat was so decided, that Henry was only saved by 
the swiftness of his horse from being made prisoner. The queen and 
her son sought to conceal themselves in a wood ; but there, losing 
their way, they fell among robbers, who took from them everything 
they had that was valuable. 

8. The robbers then luckily began to quarrel about the division of 
the plunder, which gave Margaret and the prince an opportunity of 
escaping from them. As they were wandering about in the wood, 
they met another robber. The queen, knowing that both flight and 
resistance were impossible, went boldly up to him, and, presenting her 
son, said, " Behold, my friend, the son of your king. I commit him 
to your protection." 

9. The man was so affected by this appeal, that he led them to a 
place of concealment, where they remained till the pursuit was over 
He then conducted them to the sea-coast, from whence they made 
their escape to France. 

10. Henry wandered about from one place of concealment U 
another for the space of a year, during which he suffered many hard- 
ships and privations. In July, 1465, as he sat at dinner at Wadding- 
ton Hall, he was betrayed by a monk to Sir James Harrington, who 
conveyed him to London, and resigned him into the hands of his great 
enemy, the Earl of Warwick. 

11. Warwick treated him with the utmost indignity, and, tying his 
feet under his horse's belly, as if he had been a criminal, compelled 
him to ride three times round the pillory, while the populace were by 
proclamation forbidden to show him any marks of respect or compas- 
sion. He was then confined in the Tower. 

12. His partisans were now reduced to so much distress, that many 
of the most distinguished nobles were absolutely begging their bread 
in foreign lands, while the Yorkists were revelling in their estates. 
Comines says, " I have seen the Duke of Exeter, barefooted and bare- 
legged, begging from door to door ; but becoming known, the Duke 
of Burgundy bestowed on him a pension." 

13. Edward, with savage ferocity, did all he could to exterminate 
the Lancastrian nobles, and those who remained in England could 
only save themselves by concealment. The son of that Lord Clifford 
who murdered Prince Edmund was brought up as a shepherd. 
Another Lancastrian was concealed for five years in a cave on the 
banks of the river Derwent. The Countess of Oxford maintained 
herself and her family for some time by working with her needle, and 
when that failed, she was obliged to beg about the streets of London. 

ham? Relate the adventures of Henry till his capture. 11. How was he treated bv 
Warwick? 12, 13. What of his party ? 



MARRIAGE OF EDWARD IV. — 1464. 



195 



CHAPTER CIX. 

Marriage of King Edward IV. — Warioick, offended at it, be- 
comes his Enemy. — Battle of Bar net. — Death of Warwick. 
— Battle of Tewksbury. — Captivity and Death of the young 
Prince of Wales. — Death of Margaret and of Henry. 




King Henry VI. restored by Warwick. 

1. The Earl of Warwick was very desirous that the king- should 
marry into some powerful foreign family. He was accordingly sent 
abroad to negotiate a match, and succeeded in procuring for Edward 
the hand of Bona, sister to the Queen of France. 

2. In the mean time, as Edward was one day hunting in Witch- 
wood Forest, he chanced to stop at the manor of Grafton, where was 
the Lady Elizabeth Gray, daughter of the Duchess of Bedford, and 
widow of Sir John Gray. This lady became a suitor to the king 
for some lands which had been forfeited for the part her husband had 
taken in the war. 

3. King Edward was so much charmed by her beauty and graceful 
behavior that he in his turn became a suitor to her. His addresses 
met with favor, and he presently married her. The court was soon 
crowded by her relations. Her father, Sir Richard Woodville, — 
whom her mother had married after the death of the Duke of Bed- 
ford, — her three brothers, and five sisters, were all raised to the rank 
of nobility, and married into the greatest families. 

4. Her eldest son, by Sir John Gray, was married to the king's 
niece, the daughter of the Duke of Exeter. This sudden prosperity 

CIX. — 1. How did Warwick wish the king to marry? 2,3. Relate the incident 



1 96 THE EARL OF WARWICK CONSPIRES AGAINST EDWARD. - 1470. 

made the new queen's family objects of jealousy to all the other cour 
tiers. Edward gave himself up to pleasure, and the court was one 
continued scene of revelry ; yet under an outside of gayety and amuse- 
ment was hid a smothered fire of hatred and envy. 

5. The Earl of Warwick was of course highly indignant at this 
marriage of the king, which he considered as a personal affront to 
himself; and from being the king's best friend, he became his most 
formidable enemy. He concealed his resentment, however, till a 
favorable opportunity should occur for taking his revenge. 

6. The king's two brothers, who had been created Dukes of Clar- 
ence and of Gloucester, were also offended at seeing themselves sup- 
planted by the new favorites. The Duke of Clarence had married 
Warwick's daughter, and, in 1469, the two conspired together against 
the king. To further their views, they proceeded to France, where 
they were received with great joy by all the Lancastrians there. 

7. Queen Margaret hastened to secure his friendship by marrying 
her son to his daughter Anne. Edward was warned of the approach- 
ing storm by the Duke of Burgundy, but gave no heed to the admoni 
tion, and continued to spend his time in idle diversions. 




King Edward's escape. 

8. Warwick landed in England, Sept. 13, 1470, where no prepara- 
tions had been made to oppose him. He was joined by large numbers 
of disaffected persons, and Edward, with his brother Gloucester, de- 
parted on horseback, and saved themselves by taking passage in a 
trading vessel to Friesland. They had embarked with so much haste, 
that they were unprovided with money to pay their passage, and the 
king was obliged to reward the captain of the ship by giving him his 
cloak. 

which led to the king's marriage. 4. What excited the jealousy of the courtiers? 5 
Ho»v was Warwick affected by the king's marriaee? 6. What is said of the king's 
brothers? 8. When did Warwick invade England? What became of Edward? 9. 



BATTLE OF BARNET. — 1471. 



197 



y. The poor queen took refuge in a sanctuary at Westminster, 
where her son, afterwards Edward Y r ., was born. Warwick now 
carried all before him. The poor forgotten Henry was dragged from 
his prison, and once more made a king. But this triumph only lasted 
a few months. 

10. The Yorkists, who had been, as it were, stunned by so sudden 
a blow T , soon recovered from their consternation. Edward returned to 
England, was joyfully received into London, and the imbecile Henry 
was once more committed to his prison. Warwick collected his 
forces, and went to meet Edward, who was advancing against him. 

11. The two armies met near Barnet, April 12th, 147 1. In the 
course of the night, the fickle Clarence deserted to his brother with 
twelve thousand men. The next day the battle was fought. War- 
wick fell, covered with wounds ; a large number of nobles perished 
with him, and his army was completely routed. 

12. Queen Margaret and her son, having been detained by con- 
trary winds, did not land in England till the evening of the day on 
which the battle of barnet was fought. When, instead of the trium- 
phant return they had expected, they found all their hopes w r ere 
blasted by the result of that fatal day, for the first time the 
queen's undaunted spirit forsook her, and she sank fainting to the 
ground. 

13. When she revived, she fled with her son to a sanctuary, in- 
tending to return to France. But some of the Lancastrians having 




Prince Edward before King Edward. 
gathered around her, she was persuaded to stay and make one more 

What of me queen? 11. When and where was the decisive battle foueht between Ed- 
ward aiid Warwick? 12. What is said of Manraret ? 13. What of the "battle of Tewkt» 

17* 



198 DEATH OF HENRY VI. — 1471. 

effort to regain the kingdom ; a fatal resolution, which cost the lives 
ot" many brave men, who were defeated and slain in a battle fought 
near Tewksbury, on the 3d of May. 

14. The queen and her son were soon after taken pi'isoners. The 
young prince was brought into the king's presence, who asked him 
how he dared to come into his kingdom in arms? He boldly replied, 
" I came to recover my father's kingdom ;" upon which the king, 
who seemed insensible to magnanimity, gave him a glow on ihe face. 
This was considered as a signal for further violence, and he was 
dragged out of the room by the Dukes of Clarence and Gloucester, 
and murdered with their daggers. 

15. Margaret survived her son nine miserable years ; five of which 
she passed in the Tower. The King of France then ransomed her, 
and she returned to that country, where she died in 1480. Edward 
returned in triumph to London, and the next day Henry was found 
dead in his bed. The manner of his death is not certainly known ; but 
there is little reason to doubt that he was murdered by Gloucester. 

FAMILY OF HENRY. 
WIFE. 
Margaret, of Anjou. 

SON. 
Edward, Prince of Wales, murdered. 



TABLE OF THE KINGS OF THE HOUSE OF LANCASTER. 

Began to reign. Reigned years. 

1399. . . 14 . . Henry IV., grandson to Edward III. 

1413. . . 9 . . Henry V., son of Henry IV. 

1422. . . 39 . . Henry VI., son of Henry V. 



CHAPTER CX. 

Ediuard IV. loses his Energy. — Is outwitted by Louis oj 
France. — Richard, Duke of Gloucester, procures the Death 
of his brother Clarence. 

1. The king now led a life of luxury and indulgence ; but he had 
one secret care which corroded all his enjoyments. Although the 
family of Lancaster had been in a manner extirpated, one distant and 
slightly connected branch yet remained. Henry Tudor, Earl of Rich 
mond, a grandson of Owen Tudor, was the only person in whose veins 
ran any of the blood of Lancaster. 

2. He was, therefore, considered the representative of that family. 
He had been brought up by the Duke of Brittany, who protected him 
from every attempt the King of England made to get him into his 

bury? 14. What was the fate of Margaret's son? 15. What of Margaret herself? 
What of Henry ? 
CX. — 1. Who was the only survivor of the family of Lancaster? 3 3 4, 5. What is 



EDWARD OUTWITTED BY LOUIS OF FRANCE. — 1475. 199 

power. Once Edward had nearly succeeded. In compliance with 
his wishes, Richmond had already reached England, when the duke 
began to doubt the sincerity of Edward's promises, and sent after hirn 
and brought him back, thus saving him from probable destruction ; 
for EdwaixTs cruelty increasecLwith his years. 

3. In 1475, Edward made great preparations for a war with 
France, and landed at Calais with thirty thousand men. But while 
the English were expecting great conquests, Edward, who had grown 
indolent, and preferred pleasure to war, suffered himself to be cajoled, 
by the cunning of Louis XL, into a disgraceful peace. 

4. Louis, who was one of the most wicked and most artful kings 
that ever reigned in France, by rich presents and pensions corrupted 
the integrity of many of the English nobles, and finally bribed King 
Edward himself to return to England. This conduct of the English 
excited the contempt even of the French. All the while that Louis 
was treating Edward with the most profound respect to his face, he 
used behind his back to divert himself and his friends with ridiculing 
him and his courtiers for being so mercenary and greedy. 

5. Although the Duke of Clarence had rendered the king such an 
important service in the battle of Barnet, yet he never was able to 
secure his brother's favor. The queen was his enemy, but he had a 
still more inveterate and dangerous one in his brother, the Duke of 
Gloucester. 

6. Gloucester was very desirous to marry Anne, the daughter of 
Warwick, who had been made a widow by the murder of the young 
prince. Clarence, who had married her eldest sister, wished her to 
remain single, that he might secure to himself the whole of War- 
wick's great estates. As Richard was not very attractive, in his 
character at least, and there are great disputes as to his person, it is 
probable that Clarence had little difficulty in persuading her to reject 
the addresses of her husband's murderer. 

7. But Gloucester was not a man to be deterred by any scruples 
from effecting that by violence which he could not accomplish by per- 
suasion, and Anne was obliged to use many artifices to conceal her- 
self. At last he discovered her, disguised as a cook-maid in London, 
and immediately married her. 

8. Gloucester had now a new reason for hating Clarence. He 
sought in every way to excite the king's jealousy. A trifle at length 
gave him an opportunity of gratifying his malice. As the king was 
one day hunting in the park of Thomas Burdet, who was a friend of 
Clarence, it so happened that he killed a white buck, a great favorite 
of the owner. 

9. Burdet, vexed at his loss, fell into a passion, and wished the 
horns of the buck might be the death of him who had advised the 
king to kill it ; but as no one had advised the king to do this, it was 
agreed that these words could apply only to the king himself; and 
Burdet was thereupon condemned and executed, on the pretence of 
his wishing the king's death. 

said of Edward's conduct in regard to France ? 6. How was the Duke of Clarence viewed 
by the royal family? 7,8. What particular cause of hatred had Gloucester? 9, 10. 



2U0 BOOKS IN THE REIGN OF EDWARD IV. — 1461 — 1483. 

10. Clarence expressed very freely his opinion of the injustice of 
this act. These expressions were forthwith reported to the king- by 
Gloucester, probably with many exaggerations. Clarence was at 
once arrested, and the parliament, who dared not oppose the wishes 
of the king, condemned him to die. 

11. As a royal and brotherly favor, the king- allowed him to choose 
the manner of his death. Historians tell us that he desired to be 
drowned in a butt of Malmsey wine, and that he was gratified in his 
wish. He had a son, who inherited his grandfather's title of the Earl 
of Warwick, and a daughter, afterwards Countess of Salisbury, both 
of whom met with violent deaths. 

12. Edward survived his brother about five years ; his life is said 
to have been shortened by his excesses, and his death at last tc have 
been produced by his vexation at having been outwitted by Louis XL, 
in a new negotiation. He died April 9th, 1483, in the forty-first year 
of his age, and the twenty-third of his reign. 

FAMILY OF EDWARD IV. 

WIFE. 
Elizabeth, daughter of Sir Richard Woodville, and widow of Sir John Gray. 

SONS. 
Edward, Prince of Wales. 
Richard, Duke of York. 

DAUGHTERS 

Elizabeth, married to Henry VII. 

Cicely. 

Anne. 

Catharine. 



CHAPTER CXI. 

The Invention of the Art of Printing. — Introduced into Eng 
land by William Caxton. 

1. There were very few books written during- the reign of Edward 
IV., which some have accounted for by attributing- it to the then re- 
cent discovery of the art of printing. They suppose that the business 
of transcribing declined before printing- was brought to sufficient per- 
fection to supply its place. 

2. To whom, among- the great number of claimants of the merit, 
we are indebted for this valuable invention is a matter of dispute. 
There is a common story that Laurentius Coster, of Haarlem, was the 
person to whom the idea first occurred. The following- account of it 
is in the words of his old servant. 

3. "He, one day, walking in the wood near the city, as the rich 

Relate the incident which gave an excuse for putting Clarence to death. 12. What was 
Ihe manner of Clarence's death? 

CXI. — 1. How is the smallness of the number of books written in Edward IV.'s time 
accounted for? 2. To whom is the invention of printing usually attributed? 3. What 



PRINTING INTRODUCED INTO ENGLAND. — 1471. 201 

citizens were wont to do, diverted himself by cutting letters on the 
bough of a beech tree, and for fancy's sake the thought struck hira 
to take the impression off on paper with ink, to please his grand- 
children. 

4. '*The experiment succeeding beyond his expectation, he and 
his son-in-law applied their minds to improvethe discovery. They 
made wooden types ; but for a time they could only print on one side 
of a page. An old parchment, with the alphabet and the Lord's 
prayer printed on it, is, 1 am told, preserved in some library in Ger- 
many, and is supposed to have been one of these first attempts." 

5. This story goes on to say that Coster set up a press in his own 
house, and wished to keep his discovery a secret, but that two of his 
servants stole his types. But the more authentic accounts seem to 
show that John Guttemberg, of Mentz, was the real inventor of print- 
ing, and that one Faust was his partner in the first successful attempts 
in the art. 

6. The first book which was printed by Faust is an exceedingly 
splendid Bible, of the supposed date of 1450, or thereabouts. An 
honest, citizen and mercer of London, named William Caxton, had 
occasion to go into Holland, where he heard and saw much of this new 
discovery. k 

7. Being very solicitous to make so valuable an art known in Eng- 
land, he established himself for some time at Cologne, for the purpose 
of learning it ; and, though he was in his 57th year, he applied him- 
self so diligently to his new undertaking, that, in 1471, he printed a 
book entitled " The Recule of the History of Troy." 

8. He then went to England and set up a printing-press at West- 
minster, and printed a book on the Game of Chess, interspersed with 
wood cuts, which appear uncouth enough to us, but were at the time 
considered as admirable specimens of engraving. 

9. Caxton carried over with him the types used in Germany, and 
of course marked with the characters used in that country. From 
these and similar types, all English books were printed for more than 
a century. It is called black letter. In the reign of James I. the 
Roman character (the one now used) was adopted, and soon entirely 
superseded the old German, or black letter. 

10. We must now say a few words of the ships, or " wooden 
walls of old England," as they are called. A great change had 
taken place in the construction of them in the last few reigns. The 
ships of war were of much larger size, and on the top of the mast 
was a little wooden tower, in which three or four men could stand to 
hurl down stones and arrows into an enemy's vessel. 

11. These ships had guns, but they were not very serviceable, for 
they were fixed in their places, and had no carriages. In Henry 
VI. 's time, decks and bowsprits were added; and the large ships 

is the story told by Laurentiua' servant ? 5. Who was the real inventor of the art? 
What of Faust? 6. What was the first book printed by Faust ? Who was William 
Caxton? 7, S. W r hat of Caxton as a printer? 9. What is black letter? 10, 11, 12. 
What is said of the ships? 



202 RICHARD, DUKE OF GLOUCESTER. — 14S3. 

were exceedingly encumbered by a sort of wooden house, or castle, at 
each end. 

12. They were much ornamented with gilding- and painting ; and 
armorial bearings and badges were embroidered on the sails. The 
vessels in which Henry V. sailed to France just before the battle of 
Igincourt had purple sails, embroidered with gold. 



CHAPTER CXII. 

Richard, Duke of Gloucester . — He aspires to loear the Croion. 
— Seizes upon the young King, Edward V. , whose Mother 
flies to a Sanctuary . 

1. We have now come to the shortest reign and most pathetic 
etory in English history. Edward left two sons, the eldest of whom, 
about thirteen years old, was proclaimed king by the title of Edward 
V. Though the public generally acknowledged his title, there was, 
among his nearest relations, one who had long marked the innocent 
boy for destruction. 

2. This person was his uncle Richard, Duke ot Gloucester. The 
ability, vigor of mind and personal courage of this prince have never 
been disputed. But with regard to his moral character there has been 
great difference of opinion ; some writers having loaded his memory 
with more crimes than it seems possible for any one man to have com- 
mitted ; while others have endeavored to vindicate him from most of 
the guilt of which he has been accused. 

3. There has been the same difference of opinion as to his personal 
appearance. One old chronicler says, " He was crooked-backed, hook- 
shouldered, splay-footed, goggle-eyed, and his face was little and 
swarthy." On the other side, an old lady, Desmond, who lived to 
be 130 years old, and had danced with King Richard in her youth, 
used always to say that he was a very handsome man. 

4. The truth probably lies between the two ; and those are doubt 
less correct who tell us that, though his features were rather homely, 
the expression of his countenance was princely and sensible ; that his 
figure, though short, was well built, with no other defect than that 
his right shoulder was somewhat higher than the left. 

5. Richard had long entertained the project of usurping the crown, 
and he now made use of the jealousy which the nobles felt of the 
queen and her relatives, to advance his plan. The young king had 
been entrusted to the care of his uncle, Lord Rivers, and his half- 
brother, Lord Gray. * 

6. Richard's first step was to remove these noblemen from about the 
person of Edward. In this he was willingly assisted by Lord Hast- 
ings, a loyal and honest man, but one who bore a bitter enmity to the 
queen and her relatives. Accompanied by Hastings, Richard set out 

CXII. — 1. Who succeeded Edward IV. 1 2, 3, 4. What of Richard, Duke of Glouces- 



RICHARD APPOINTED PROTECTOR — 14S3. 203 

with a numerous train to meet the king - , who was on his way to Lon- 
don to be crowned. 

7. They met him and his little party at Stony Stratford, where thp 
Lords Gray and Rivers passed the evening with the Duke of Glouces- 
ter in mirth and pleasantry, unsuspicious of the coming- evil. The 
next morning they were seized and sent to Pontefract, and all the rest 
of Edward's attendants were dismissed, and forbidden to come near 
the court on pain of death. 

8. The poor young- king - , finding himself alone and in the power 
of his uncle, whom he had early been taught to dread, was struck 
with grief and terror; but Gloucester, falling on his knees, assured 
him, with strong professions of loyalty and affection, that all he had 
done was for his preservation. 

9. Edward, being soothed into composure, set off with his uncle 
towards London, where the news of these violent measures arrived 
before them, and occasioned great alarm. The queen instantly fled 
into the sanctuary at Westminster, taking with her the Duke of York 
and her five daughters. Rotherham, Archbishop of York, a faithful 
servant of the crown, hastened to comfort her. Her condition is thus 
described by an old chronicler : 

10. " The archbishop found about the queen much heaviness, 
rumble, haste and business ; carriage and conveyance of her stuffe 
into sanctuarie ; chests, coffers, packs, fardles, bundles, tossed all 
on men's backs ; no man unoccupied ; some lading, some going, 
some unloading, some going for more, some breaking down the wall 
to bring in the nearest way. The queen herself sate alone low on 
the rushes, all desolate and dismaid." 



CHAPTER CXIII. 

Richard III. usurps the Crown. — He causes the young King 
and his Brother to be murdered. 

1. On the 4th of May, Gloucester conducted his nephew into Lon- 
don, riding before him bareheaded, and frequently calling out to the 
people, "Behold your king!" At a great council held two davs 
after, the artful duke was appointed protector of the kingdom. To 
keep up the deception, a day was appointed for the coronation of the 
king, and the preparations were at once begun. ^ 

2. In the mean time, those to whom Richard had imparted his 
designs upon the crown were actively employed. On the 13th of 
May, Sir Thomas Ratcliffe, one of his chief confidants, entered Pon- 
tefract with 5,000 men, and, without any trial, beheaded Lord Rivers 
and Lord Gray. The death of Lord Rivers caused much lamentation, 
for he was the most accomplished nobleman of his time. 

ter? 5. To what does he aspire? 6, 7. How did he set about the accomplishment of hia 
wish? 9, 10. What of the queen? 
CXIII. — 1. How did Gloucester treat his nephew? What office did he receive! 



2U4 



EXECUTION OF LORD HASTINGS. — 1483. 






3. Another of his creatures, named Catesby, had endeavored to 
gain the support of Hastings ; but this nobleman being found to be 
firm in his devotion to Edward's children, his destruction was deter- 
mined upon. On the very day that the lords were murdered at Pon- 
tefract, Richard summoned the council to meet in the Tower. He 
appeared to be remarkably gay and good-natured , but left the council- 
chamber as if called out upon business. 

4. He soon returned with an angry countenance, and demanded 
what those deserved who plotted against his life. Hastings replied, 
that " they should be treated as traitors." "These traitors," said 
the protector, " are the sorceress, my brother's wife, and another of 
his late friends. See to what they have reduced me by their witch 
craft ;" upon which he laid bare his withered arm. 

5. The councillors, who knew that the arm had been so from his 
birth, looked at one another with amazement ; but Hastings ventured 
to defend the late king's friend. " And do you reply to me," ex- 
claimed Richard, " with your ifs and your ands? you are yourself the 
chief traitor ; and I swear I will not dine before your head be brought 
to me! " On this he struck his hand on the table, and armed mep 







Execution of Hastings. 



rushed in, who seized Hastings, and instantly beheaded him in the 
presence of the council. 



2 What did Gloucester's partisans do ? 3, 4, 5. Relate the circumstances which occurred 



RICHARD USURPS THE CROWN. — 1483. 



205 



6. Richard's next object was to get the young Duke of York into 
his power. He declared that it would be highly improper to suffer 
the duke to remain in the sanctuary, a place where thieves and mur- 
derers found refuge. He sent the Archbishop of Canterbury, who 
had no suspicion of his evil designs, to persuade the queen to surrender 
her young son. 

7. Although she had not heard of the bloody deed at Pontefract, 
she had begun to suspect the designs of Richard. She knew that 
her son would be taken from her by force if she refused her consent 
to his departure. Clasping him to her breast, she took leave of him 
with a shower of tears. The young king was delighted to see his 
brother, hoping long to enjoy his company. 

8. Having now both the young princes in his power, Gloucester 
began to act more openly. He employed a popular preacher to ha- 
rangue the people in his favor ; but he met with little success. The 
Duke of Buckingham then undertook to address them. After de- 
scribing the miseries of the last reign, and the unfitness of the young 
king to govern, he enlarged upon the virtues of the Duke of Glouces- 
ter. 

9. He expressed his apprehensions that the protector could not be 
prevailed upon to accept the crown, but he hoped that the people 
would take every method to persuade him to do so. He concluded by 
desiring every man to speak his real sentiments, and to declare with- 
out fear, whether they would have for king the young prince, or the 
virtuous protector. 




The Duke of Gloucester. 
10. A silence for some time ensued ; at length some of the duke's 



in llie couiicil-citamhpr. 6. What was Richard's next object,? How did he effect. it* 



1! 



206 



FATE OF THE TWO YOUNG PRINCES. 



own servants, who had slipped among the crowd, cried out, " Lont> 
live King- Richard!" A few of the mob joined in the cry, and the 
duke, taking advantage of the faint approbation, found means to in- 
duce the mayor and aldermen to accompany him to the palace of the 
protector, and to offer him the crown. 

11. Richard pretended to be very much surprised at seeing such a 
concourse of people. When he was informed that their business was 
to offer him the crown, he declined accepting it, saying, that " his 
love of his brother's children was greater than his love of a crown." 
But he at length suffered himself to be persuaded by Buckingham 
and declared his acceptance. 




Coronation of Richard III. 

12. He was at once proclaimed king, and the same preparation 
which had been made for the coronation of Edward V. served for 
that of Richard III. It was long before the fate of the two young 
princes was known with certainty; but they never were seen again. 
Some years afterwards, two persons confessed themselves to have been 
their murderers ; and said that their bodies were buried at the foot of 
a staircase in the Tower. 

13. The story was not believed at the time ; it being supposed that 
it was fabricated for political effect ; but it was confirmed in an extraor- 
dinary manner two hundred years afterwards ; when, in altering a 
staircase in the Tower, a chest was found buried under it, in which 
were the bones of two children, answering in size to the ages of Ed- 
ward and his brother. Edward V. was in his 13th year when his 
father died, and reigned not quite three months. 



8, 9, 10. What bold step was next taken? 11. How did Richard behave when offered the 
crown? 12, 13. What was the fate of the young princes? 



HENRY TUDOR. — 1484. 207 



CHAPTER CXIV. 

A Plot is formed for placing Henry Tudor on the Throne, 
which is for the present defeated. 

1. As soon as Richard had obtained the crown, he sought to secure 
the future support of those who had assisted him, by bestowing upon 
them liberal rewards. The Duke of Buckingham, having the great- 
est claim, received the largest share of his favors. 

2. Ample as was the compensation, however, it was not enough to 
satisfy the avarice or the ambition of this nobleman, and we very soon 
find him engaged in a conspiracy to depose Richard, and to place 
Henry Tudor, Earl of Richmond, on the throne. In order to supply 
the defects of this prince's title, it was agreed that he should marry 
Elizabeth, eldest daughter of Edward IV., who, after her brothers, 
had the best right to the crown. 

3. Richard, whose vigilance did not suffer the tempest, to gather 
unperceived, assembled an army, and then summoned Buckingham to 
attend him. This nobleman replied only by taking the field with some 
troops he had collected in Wales. With these he advanced towards 
England. 

4. When he arrived near the river Severn, an extraordinary flood, 
such as had never been known before, and which was long remem- 
bered as Buckingham's flood, prevented his crossing. His Welsh 
troops, impelled partly by superstition, and partly by famine, deserted 
him and returned home. The officers, finding themselves abandoned 
by their men, either fled from the country or took refuge in sanctua- 
ries. 

5. Buckingham, thinking he could rely upon the fidelity of a de- 
pendent of his own named Bannister, sought refuge i.i his house ; but 
this man could not resist the temptation of the large reward offered 
for his master's apprehension, and betrayed him to the sheriff of Shrop- 
shire, who found him in the disguise of a peasant, hid in an orchard 
behind Bannister's house. He was taken to London, and there exe- 
cuted. 

6. Richard, whose heart seemed callous to the sufferings of others, 
was himself vulnerable in one point. Edward, his only child, died 
April 9, 1484, and we are told that the king's grief was so excessive 
that he almost " run mad." The grief of the queen was not less 
violent, and her death, a few months afterwards, is generally ascribed 
to it, though some assert that she was poisoned by her husband. 

7. Richard now sought to gain the favor of the widowed queen of 
Edward IV. He succeeded so well as to induce her to consent to his 
own marriage with the Princess Elizabeth, although he was her uncle, 
and had murdered her two brothers and other relations. 

8. The king, notwithstanding all his spies, does not seem to have 
been aware that Richmond, who was supposed to be all the while in 

CXrV. — 1,2. What of Buckingham ? How was Richmond's title to he strengthened? 
What did Rir.hard do? 4. What of Buckingham's flood? 5. What was the fate of 



208 



BATTLE OF BOSWORTH-FIELD. — 1485. 



France, did in fact pass great part of his time in Wales, making him- 
self friends among his countrymen ; for the Tudors were a Welsh 
family. 

9. Once he was so near being discovered by Richard's spies, that 
he only escaped by jumping out of a back window, and getting through 
an opening, which is still called the king's hole. On his return to 
France he heard the report of Richard's intended marriage. He there 
fore hastily collected the English exiles, and a few French soldiers, 
in all about 3,000 men, and landed at Milford Haven, August 7, 
1485. 



CHAPTER CXV. 

Battle of Bosworth- -field. — Death of Richard III. — Singular 
Story of his Bedstead. 




Battle of Bosworth. 



1. When Richard heard how small a number of persons accompa- 
nied the earl, and what a ragged, beggarly crew they were, he 
despised so weak an enemy. But when he found that his numbers 
were fast increasing, and that some Welsh troops, who were sent 
against him, actually joined him, he began to think the danger more 
urgent. He might still have quelled it, had he known in whom to 
confide. 

2. The chief agents in his wicked schemes were Ratcliffe, Catesby, 



Buckingham? 6. Whal domestic misfortune befell Richard? 8, 9. Where was Rich- 
mond all this time ? 
CXV. — I. What is said of Richard's feelings when he heard of Richmond's invasion? 



DEATH OF RICHARD. — 1485. 209 

and Lovel, which gave rise to the following verses, which an old chron- 
icler tells us " passed in those times for excellent wit" : 

" The Cat, the Rat, and Lovel the dog, 
Rule all England under the Hog." 

The white boar was the badge of Richard. 

3. But Richard knew that these were not friends who could be 
relied on in time of his own need. He distrusted all around him, and 
not without reason ; for Lord Stanley, to whom he had given the chief 
command in his army, was in secret league with Richmond, whose 
mother he had married. 

4. Richard at length roused himself, and collecting what troops he 
could, marched with great pomp, wearing a crown on his helmet to 
Merivalle, not far from Bosworth where Richmond had arrived before 
him. On the 23d of August, 1485, the forces on both sides were 
drawn out in line of battle. 

5. Lord Stanley drew up the forces under his immediate command, 
at a little distance from the rest of the king's troops. Richmond, who 
was no soldier, sent to request Lord Stanley to assist him in forming 
his men ; but Stanley answered that he must form them himself, and 
he would come to him at a convenient season. 

6. Richard was very angry when he saw how Stanley had drawn 
up his men, but it was now too late to do more than to summon his 
immediate attendance, — a summons which was not obeyed. The 
battle began, but no vigor or spirit was displayed in the royal army ; 
and when Lord Stanley suddenly turned and attacked it, Richard saw 
that all was lost, and exclaiming, " Treason ! treason ! ' rushed into 
the midst of the enemy, and made his way to Richmond, hewing down 
all before him. 

7. The earl shrunk back at his approach ; but his attendants gath- 
ered round Richard, who fought like a wild beast at bay, till at last 
he fell, covered with wounds. His helmet was so oeaten in by the 
blows it had received, that its form was quite destroyed. 

8. Most of the nobles had deserted the royal cause. The Duke of 
Norfolk was among the few* exceptions. Some friend had tried to 
save him from his impending fate, and had that morning thrown an 
admonitory letter into his tent. It ran thus : 

"Jockey of Norfolk, he not too bold, 
For Dickon, thy master, is bought and sold." 

9. Richard reigned little more than two years, and was slain in the 
35th year of his age. He fell near a brook which runs through Bos- 
worth-field, the water of which long remained stained with blood ; 
and it is said that the people in the neighborhood are averse to using 
it, even at this day. 

10. The body of Richard, after suffering many indignities, was at 
last buried in a church at Leicester. But his bones were not suffered 
to rest even here ; for at the destruction of the religious houses in the 

2. Who were his chief agents? What verses were formed on them? 4. When was the 
battle of Bos worth -field fought? 5. What is said of Lord Stanley's conduct? 6, 7. What 
of Richard's conduct in the battle ? 8. What is said of the Duke of Norfolk ? 9. How 

14 



210 AMUSEMENTS OF THE ENGLISH IN OLDEN TIMES. 

time of Henry VIII., they were torn from their burying-place, and his 
stone coffin was converted into a watering-trough for horses at an inn 
in Leicester ! 

11. The story of an article of Richard's furniture is yet more ex- 
traordinary. He travelled about, as was then the custom, with his own 
bedstead. When he was killed at Bosworth, this was left at the 
place he had last slept at in Leicester, and was kept by the people of 
the house. It was entirely of wood, and was much gilded and other- 
wise ornamented. 

12. About one hundred years after the battle, as the woman to 
whom it then belonged was one day making the bed, a piece of money 
fell out from a crevice in the bedstead. Upon examination she found 
that the bottom of the bedstead was hollow, and contained coin to the 
value of nearly fifteen hundred dollars. 

13. This discovery proved fatal to the woman, for she was robbed 
and murdered by her servant for the sake of her new-found treasure. 
The servant was hanged for the murder ; and thus Richard's gold 
seemed to have the property of bringing evil upon all who touched it. 



CHAPTER CXVI. 

Amusements of the English in olden time. — Christmas Gam- 
bols. — Miracles and Mysteries. — Description of a Gentle- 
man's Dress. 

1. As we have had horrors enough for the present, we may now 
turn our attention to the amusements of the English, beginning with 
the children. Perhaps our young readers may toss their balls and 
trundle their hoops with more glee than ever, when they know that 
the Black Prince, John of Gaunt, and perhaps even Thomas a Becket, 
and old Caxton himself, played with such things hundreds of years 
since ; for these games were in use as fong ago as the Conquest. 

2. Shuttlecock and blind-man's-buff are also very ancient games. 
But there were some old amusements which were not so unexception- 
able. There was a strange ceremony observed in most, if not all, the 
cathedrals, on the 28th of December, called Innocent's Day, in remem- 
brance of the slaughter of the children of Bethlehem by order of 
Herod. 

3. A boy was dressed up in the vestments of the- bishop. He was 
attended by a parcel of other boys habited like priests, and in this 
guise he preached a mock sermon in church, and then went in proces- 
sion about the town. This was called the festival of the boy-bishop. 

4. But the love of sports and merry-making was not confined to the 
young. Those who were older, having but little mental cultivation, 

long did Richard reign ? How old was he at his death ? 10. What is said of his body ? 
11, 12. Relate tho story of his bedstead. 
CXVI. — 1, 2. What were the amusements of the children? What ceremony on In- 



AMUSEMENTS OF THE ENGLISH IN OLDEN TIMES. 



21* 



had so few sedentary amusements that they were glad to fly to active 
and boisterous ones. Even the fine ladies did not then disdain to seek 
diversion from things that in our times the most coarse and vulgar 
would shun with aversion. 




5. Leaving out hawking, which was a favorite pastime of the gen- 
try, we may notice bear-baitings and bull-baitings, which consisted in 
worrying a poor bear or bull with savage dogs. These, however, were 
only used on great occasions, and to entertain queens and princesses. 
Cudgel-playing and wrestling were the every-day amusements. 

6. Christmas was the chief time of sports ; in the king's court, and 
in the families of the principal nobles, a leader of the games was 
elected, who had the pleasant title of Lord of Misrule, and Master of 
Merry Sports. The diversions over which this mock-monarch pre- 
sided were suited to the taste of the age. 

7. There was a scrambling for nuts and apples, dancing, playing 
with hobby horses, hunting owls and squirrels, hot cockles, and blind- 
man's-buff. Then there was a stick moving on a pivot in the middle, 
with an apple at one end and a candle at the other, so that he who 
missed his bite, burned his nose. 

8. The favorite amusement, however, at this season, was Mum- 
ming, or Disguising. At court this was performed with great splen- 
dor, and rich costumes ; but among the common people the diversion 



nocent's Day? 1,5. What were the amusements of older people? 6. Who managed 
vhe Christmas sports ? 7. What were the sports? 8. What was the favorite amuse- 



*212 DRESS OF AN OLD ENGLISH GENTLEMAN. 

consisted in changing- clothes between men and women, who, when 
dressed in each other's habits, went from one neighbor's house to 
another, partaking of Christmas cheer. This custom is still kept up 
in some parts of England, particularly in the northern counties. 

9. The origin of stage-plays was curious. There were theatrical 
entertainments long before there were any play-houses or theatres. 
The first public representation of anything like a play was exhibited 
as early as 1378, and was called a Miracle. It was the history of St. 
Catharine, and was performed by the priests of Dunstable. 

10. The actors were attired in the holy vestments belonging to the 
Abbey of St. Albans. In Richard II. 's reign, the clergy of St. Paul's 
church enacted a miracle before the king and queen, which lasted eight 
days, and in which was represented the greater part of the Bible his- 
tory. 

11. Miracles were succeeded by Mysteries, in which sacred subjects 
were strangely jumbled with buffoonery. By degrees some little moral 
allegory crept into these entertainments, and miracles and mysteries 
gave way to Moralities, which consisted of long, elaborate speeches 
from allegorical personages, such as Theology, Adulation, Admoni 
tion, &c. 

12. These plays were performed in churches and chapels, and the 
actors were almost always ecclesiastics. There were, besides, some 
secular plays performed in private houses, and in the streets, by the 
jugglers, tumblers, and jesters, whose business it was to rove about 
and exhibit their talents. There is no mention of public theatres till 
the reign of Elizabeth. The first regular play we know of was writ- 
ten about 1560, and is called " Gammer Gurton's Needle." 

13. So much for the amusements ; now for the dress of an old 
English gentleman. We left them some time ago wearing long, 
pointed shoes. Never was fashion attacked with more violence. 
Laws were made, and the clergy preached against them. Still they 
continued to be worn to the time of Richard III., after which the 
fashion declined, and the contrary extreme became the mode. 

14. All the fine gentlemen looked now as if they had the gout ; for 
they wore velvet or cloth shoes, so very broad that their feet resem- 
bled platters ; and a law was made forbidding shoes to be worn that 
were more than six inches across the toes. The dress of the men at 
this period is described as being so " skrimp" and tight, that fashion- 
able persons must have resembled stuffed figures more than livino 
men. 

15. Their shoulders were stuffed out to make them look broad, and 
the waist was pinched in as tight as could be borne. Oddity was 
aimed at more than comfort or gracefulness. With a tight pinched- 
in jacket, which was not much longer than a waistcoat, such enormous 
long sleeves were worn, hanging from the elbows, that Edward IY. 
used to tie his behind his back, to avoid tumbling over them when he 
walked ! 



ment? 9, 10, 11. Mention the different kinds of stage-plays. 12. Where were thev 
performed? What was the first regular play? 13, 14. Describe the dress of a gentle, 
man. 



END OF THE LINE OF PLANTAGENET. — 14S5. 



213 



CHAPTER CXVII. 

End of the Line of Plantagenet. — General Character of the, 
Kings. — Important Consequences of the Battle of Bosworth- 
field. — Depression of the Nobles. — Rise of the Commons. 




Crowning of Richmond, Henry VII. 

1. King Richard was the last man slain on the field of Bosworth, 
and his death was the signal of victory to Henry of Richmond. The 
soldiers who had engaged in the pursuit of the fugitives were recalled 
by hearing the shouts of " Long live King Henry !" and on returning 
to the field of battle, they saw Sir William Stanley, brother to Lord 
Stanley, placing on Henry's head the battered crown that had been 
struck off from the helmet of Richard. 

2. With Richard ended the line of Plantagenet kings, who had 
p-overned England for 330 years. There were fourteen in, all ; Henry 
II. and thirteen of his descendants. Four of these, John, Henry III., 
Richard II., and Henry VI., were feeble monarchs. The rest inher- 
ited the abilities and bravery of their great ancestor, and, with the 
exception of Henry IV., who was of a close and suspicious temper, 



CXVII. — 1. What was the fate of Richard III.? 2. Who succeeded him? How Inn* 
had ihe Plantagensts reigned? What is said of the several kings? 3. What two oat 



214 CONDITION OF THE PEOPLE. — 1485. 

had a frankness and openness of disposition which endeared them to 
their subjects. 

3. No battle since that of Hastings had been so important in its 
consequences as that of Bosworth-field. The former brought in the 
feudal system in its most oppressive form ; the battle of Bosworth put 
an end to it. The reign of Henry VII. was the dawn of what may 
properly be called English liberty. 

4. Though the Magna Charta had fenced in the nobles from the 
tyranny of the king, yet the great mass of the people were for a long 
time after as much exposed as before to the oppression of the nobles ; 
but now, the power as well as the number of the nobles being much 
diminished by the long war between the houses of York and Lancas- 
ter, the people began gradually to emerge from slavery. 

5. Henry hated because he feared the nobles, and it was a part 
of his policy to depress them. He restricted the number of their 
retainers ; and thus that idle race of people who had before passed 
their lives in following some great lord to the wars, or in hanging 
about his gates in time of peace, were driven to employ themselves 
in more industrious modes of life, and from helpless dependents 
became useful subjects. 

tt. Commerce, too, began to make great alteration in the condition 
of persons in middle life ; and Henry greatly facilitated their rise into 
consequence, by lessening the strictness of entails, that is the descent 
of estates in one family, from one generation to another, without any 
person being at liberty to dispose of them. 

7. Such a system serves to maintain the dignity of particular fami- 
lies, but is evidently adverse to the general good of the state. The 
nobles being enabled to sell their estates, many of them came into the 
possession of rich merchants and manufacturers. 

8. With the change of property came a great change in the condi- 
tion of all classes of people. The land-owners found it advantageous to 
commute the services of the villeins for money, and made them pay rent 
for their land and cottages ; and thus from villeins they became tenants. 

9. It is very difficult to trace every step of the lower orders of the 
people from villeinage, which at some periods was a state of mere 
slavery, to freedom. The progress was so various and so gradual 
that the state of villeinage seemed to decline insensibly, and after the 
time of Henry VII., we find no more mention of it. 

TABLE OF THE LINE OF PLANTAGENET. 

Henry II. Plantagenet. 

Richard 1. Cceur de Lion, ) e rxjr TT 

John Lackland, \ Sons of Heni T "• 

Henry III., son of John. 
Edward I., son of Henry III. 
Edward II. , son of Edward I. 
Edward III., son of Edward II. 
Richard II., son of the Black Prince, and grandsor: 
of Edward III. 

[.'e^ are mentioned as important? 4. What is said of the condition of the mass of t'lf 
) «ople ? 5. What was Henry's policy tc ,vards the nobles? 6. What of entails ? 8. 
What of the villeins ? 



egan to reign 


Re 


?ned. 


1154 . . 


35 


years 


1189 . . 


10 


(< 


1199 . . 


17 


(c 


1216 . . 


56 


(i 


1272 . . 


34 


(C 


1307 . 


20 


(( 


1327 . . 


50 


(C 


1377 . . 


22 


1C 



HENRY VII. — 1485. 



2] 5 



THE LANCASTER BRANCH OF THE FAMILY. 

1399. . 14 years Henry IV., of Lancaster, cousin to Richard II. and 

grandson of Edward III. 
1413. . 9 " Henry V., son of Henry IV. 

1422 . . 49 " Henry VI., son of Henry V. 

THE YORK BRANCH OF THE FAMILY. 

1461 . . 22 " Edward IV., of York, third cousin to Henry VI. 

and great-great-grandson of Edward III. 
1483. . 3 m'ths. Edward V., son of Edward IV. 
1483. . 2 years. Richard III., Crook-back, uncle of Edward V. 



CHAPTER CXVIII. 

Henry VII. — Lambert Simnel pretends to be Earl of War- 
wick, and claims the Throne. — He is defeated and made a 
Scullion in the King's Kitchen. — Death of Lord hovel in a 
secret Chamber. 




Marriage of Henry VII. 



1. Henry VII. , the first of that line of kings of England called 
the Tudor line, was thirty years old when he gained the crown. 
He was of a tall and slender form, pale complexion, and a grave, 
sedate deportment. Cold, cautious and designing, he did not possess 
one amiable quality. 

2. His natural abilities were not brilliant, but he made up for want 
of quickness by unwearied application, and was rewarded for his per- 

CXVIII. — 1, 2. What is said of the character of Henry VII. ? What were his ruling 



216 DEFEAT OF SIMNEL. — 1437. 

severance by gaining a reputation for more wisdom than he possessed. 
He was an unkind husband, a careful but not an affectionate father, a 
rigorous master, and a bitter enemy. 

3. Two ruling passions swayed his conduct from the first hour of 
his reign to the end of his life ; these were his avarice, and his 
hatred of the house of York. The first command he issued, even 
before he had left the bloody field where he had been proclaimed 
king, was, that persons should be sent into Yorkshire to seize young 
Edward Plantagenet, Earl of Warwick, son of the Duke of Clarence. 

4. Henry's avarice, though an odious vice in itself, and particu- 
larly obnoxious in a king, was not without its advantages to his 
country. It led him to encourage commerce ; and it was he who laid 
the foundations of the British navy. A four-masted ship, called the 
Great Henry, was, properly speaking, the first ship in the British 
navy, for hitherto, when the king wanted a fleet, he had no expedient 
but hiring or purchasing ships from the merchants. 

5. Notwithstanding his dislike to the family of York, Henry soon 
found that he could not maintain himself on the throne without ally- 
ing himself to it. He therefore renewed his old agreement to marry 
the Princess Elizabeth. But his reluctance to this union was so 
great, that he put it off till the following year. The princess was a 
great favorite with the people, which "gave much offence to her hus- 
band, and was one cause of his unkind treatment of her. 

6. Henry's conduct towards all those who had been connected with 
the late royal family naturally irritated them against him, and in 1487, 
a scheme was contrived, which gave him for a time much vexation 
and trouble. Lambert Simnel, the son of a baker of Oxford, was 
instructed to personate the young Earl of Warwick, who, it was pre- 
tended, had escaped from the Tower. 

7. When Henry heard of this mock Earl of Warwick, he caused 
the real earl to be taken from his prison, and carried in procession 
through London, and permitted all who chose to converse with him. 
This measure, though it satisfied the people of England, did not con- 
vince those of Ireland, by whom Simnel was proclaimed king, by the 
title of Edward VI. 

8. Simnel, with the few nobles who joined him, and some troops 
which he had raised in Ireland, landed in Lancashire, expecting to 
be joined by the inhabitants ; but in this he was disappointed. He 
had advanced as far as Stoke without receiving any addition to his 
forces, where he was met by Henry, June 16th, 1487, and com- 
pletely defeated. Simnel, who was taken prisoner, received better 
treatment than he could have expected, for Henry contented himself 
with degrading the new made king to be one of the scullions in his 
kitchen. 

9. Most of Simnel's army lost their lives. Among the few who 
escaped from the fight was Lord Lovel. He was observed flying 
towards the Trent, and, as he was never seen afterwards, he was 
thought to have been drowned in crossing that river. 

p:issions 1 4. What good effect did his avarice produce 1 5. How did he try to strengthen 
Viimself on the throne? 6, 7. 8. Relate the story of Lambert Simnel. 9, 10. Relate the 
fate of Lord Lovel, 11 12. What is said of secret chambers ? 



STORY OF PERKIN WARBECK. — 1492. 217 

10. But more than a hundred years afterwards, in puiling down a 
house that had belonged to him in Oxfordshire, a secret chamber was 
discovered, in which was found the skeleton of a man, seated in a 
chair, with his head reclining- on a table. An empty jar and a 
barrel were found near it. It was conjectured that this was the skele- 
ton of Lord Lovel, who had contrived to escape to his own house, but 
from some neglect had starved to death in this secret chamber. 

11. It would be a hard matter to make a chamber in a modern 
house, in which a person could be effectually concealed ; but in those 
days the walls were thick, and the chimneys large, and the unquiet 
state of the times made secret chambers useful, if not necessary. 

12. Many a large old house in England doubtless contains such a 
sanctuary. We are told of one in Nottinghamshire, which was in- 
habited by a family for some generations, without its being known 
that there was a secret room in the kitchen chimney ; and it was onlv 
discovered a few years since, in making some repairs. 



CHAPTER CXIX. 

A new Impostor appears. — Adventures of Perkin Warbeck. 

1. The old Duchess of Burgundy, sister of Edward IV., finding 
how many people had been deceived by the fraud of Simnel, deter- 
mined upon a new project, contrived with more art and plausibility. 
She first spread a report that the young Duke of York was alive, and 
had escaped from the Tower. 

2. She then found a youth, named Perkin "Warbeck, son of a 
Flemish Jew, who bore a strong resemblance to the Plantagenets, 
and who had something in his manners and carriage so bewitching, and 
at the same time so princely and dignified, that all who conversed with 
him were fascinated, and persuaded that he was a prince. 

3. He first presented himself at the court of France, where he 
was well received by the king. At the demand of Henry he was 
dismissed, but with courtesy, and then sought the protection of his 
aunt, as he called the Duchess of Burgundy. 

4. She received him as if he had been an entire stranger to her, 
and affected to disbelieve his story ; then, as if suddenly convinced by 
his answers to her questions, she embraced him with a transport of 
joy, exclaiming that he was indeed her long-lost nephew, and be- 
stowed upon him the appellation of the White Rose of England. 

5. Henry now became anxious to convince the world that the real 
Duke of York had been murdered, and he obtained the confession 
of two persons, who owned that they had been concerned in putting 
him to death. But these confessions gained little credit at the time, 

CXIX. — 1. What project did the Duchess; of Burgundy form ? 2. Who was selectea 
as the principal actor? 3, 4. What was the success of Warbeck at first? 5, 6. What 

19 



2 IS STORY OF PERKIN WARBECK. — 1496. 

though they have since received corroboration, as we have before 
stated. 

6. Henry also sought to ascertain the true history of Warbeck ; 
but the secret was so well kept, and his origin so obscure, that this 
proved to be a difficult matter. At length one of the confidants of 
the impostor was won over. From him Henry learnt nearly the 
whole history of the conspiracy, with the names of all those in Eng- 
land who had favored it. 

7. The former was published for the information of the nation, 
and those concerned were all seized in one day, and immediately 
tried, condemned and executed. Sir William Stanley was beheaded 
for having been heard to say, that, "if he was sure Perkin Warbeck 
was the real Duke of York, he would never bear arms against him." 

8. After two ineffectual attempts to get a footing in England, 
Warbeck went to Scotland, where he was received with the utmost 
kindness by King James IV., who engaged in his cause with the 
greatest warmth. He also gave him in marriage the Lady Catharine 
Gordon, one of the most noble and accomplished ladies of the age. 

9. James did not content himself with empty words, and in Octo 
ber, 1496, he entered England with an army, with the avowed pur- 
pose of placing Warbeck on the throne, and all the English were 
invited to repair to the standard of their rightful sovereign, who was 
proclaimed king by the title of Richard IV. 

10. The Scots immediately began to plunder, as was their custom', 
and Warbeck expostulated with James on this barbarous manner of 
carrying on the war, declaring that he had rather lose a crown than 
obtain it by the ruin of his subjects. 

11. It was expected that upon Warbeck's first appearance in 
England all the friends of the house of York would rise in his 
favor ; but, contrary to his ^anticipations, he found none to assist 
him, and was obliged to retreat towards Edinburgh. Henry, who 
was at all times a better negotiator than soldier, preferred entering 
into a treaty with James to meeting him in the field, and a truce was 
made between the two monarchs. 



CHAPTER CXX. 

Conclusion of the Story of Perkin Warbeck. — About Benevo- 
lences. — Story of the Alderman who refused to lend the 
King Money. 

1. In consequence of the treaty between the kings of Scotland 
and England, Warbeck, after thanking James for the kindness and 
protection he had afforded him, went to Ireland, with about a hun- 

measures did Hanrv VII. adopt? 8. How was Warbeck received in Scotland? 11. 
«Vhat was Warbeck's success in England ? 



EXECUTION OF PERKIN WARBECK. — 1499. 



219 



dred and twenty followers, and his lovely wife, who would not forsake 
him. 

2. After a few months he returned to England, and was joined by 
about three thousand men, with whom he laid siege to Exeter. A 
large body of the king's forces marched against him, and Warbeck, 
seeing that all resistance would be in vain, left his companions to 
take care of themselves as they could, and fled in the night to a sanc- 
tuary. 

3. This was soon surrounded by the royal troops, and Henry 
would gladly have forced open the gates and seized his victim, but 
was persuaded to try to entice him out by the promise of sparing his 
life. Warbeck, on receiving this pledge, gave himself up, and was 
carried prisoner to the Tower. 

4. He contrived to make his escape from this prison, but was soon 
taken and brought back. He was then exposed upon a scaffold, and 
compelled to read aloud a written paper, in which he confessed him- 
self to be an impostor. 

5. He afterwards found means to have some communication with 
his fellow-prisoner, the Earl of Warwick, and a plan was concerted 
between them for their escape ; but this being discovered, they 
were both executed. Perkin Warbeck was hung at Tyburn, the 
place of execution for common malefactors, Nov. 23d, 1499 ; whilst 
Warwick, from respect to his undoubted rank, was beheaded on 
Tower Hill. 




Perki?i Warbeck on the scaffold. 



6. It is interesting to read of the fate of Warbeck's young and 
beautiful wife. After her husband was carried to the lower, Henry 



CXX. — 1. Whither did Warbeck so from Scotland ? Who accompanied him ? 2. 3. 4, 
Relate the rest of his story. What was the fate of Warbeck J 6, 7. What becan;-* t.f 



220 STORY OF THE ALDERMAN. 

sent for her, and, hard as was his heart, he seems to have been touched 
by her youth, her beauty, and her grief; for she dearly loved War- 
beck, and was a most dutiful and affectionate wife to him. 

7. The king said some kind and soothing words to her, and pre- 
sented her to the queen, with whom she remained as an attendant. 
She had an ample allowance made to her, and was much beloved at 
the court, where she was called " The White Rose of England." 

8. Henry, from this time till his death, was undisturbed by tumults 
at home or by wars abroad. He was chiefly employed in amassing 
wealth, which he did in every possible way. He made many arbi- 
trary and vexatious laws, and obliged those who violated them in the 
slightest particular to pay heavy fines, or suffer imprisonment. 

9. These rapacious schemes were carried on by the assistance of 
two lawyers, named Empson and Dudley, whom he employed to en- 
trap the rich and unwary. He also had increased his wealth by 
means of taxes and benevolences. 

10. A benevolence meant originally a voluntary contribution for the 
king's expenses, made amongst his immediate vassals. Edward IV. 
extended it to the whole kingdom, and, though the name implies its 
being a free gift, it became, in fact, a very arbitrary tax, for the king 
could quarter soldiers on those who refused to contribute, and could 
annoy them in many other ways, which caused the people to call 
these benevolences malevolences. 

11. You will think this name not unmerited, when you read of 
what happened to an alderman of London, in Henry VIII. 's time. 
The poor alderman, because he refused to contribute to a benevolence, 
was compelled to serve as a private soldier in the war then carrying 
on against Scotland. 

12. The king sent a letter to the general of the army, commanding 
that the alderman should be lodged among the common soldiers, and 
be made to ride forth in all difficult and dangerous enterprises. His 
sufferings in this mode were not of very long continuance, for he 
was taken prisoner in the first engagement, and had to pay a much 
larger sum for his ransom than he had been required to contribute to 
the benevolence. 



CHAPTER CXXI. 

The Architecture of Henry VII.'' s time. — Of his Voyages of 
Discovery. — Columbus and the Cabots. 

1. By confiscations of the property of those concerned in the vari- 
ous conspiracies, by taxes, benevolences, and fines, Henry VII. ac 

Warbeck's wife? 8. What is said of the rest of Henry's reign? 9. Who assisted 1 tie 
fcing in his schemes to ohtain money? 10. What is said of benevolences? 11,12. Re- 
late the story of the alderman. 
CXXT. — 1. What feeling was strong enough to overcome Henry's avarice ? How did 



ARCHITECTURE OF HENRY VII. 'S TIME. — 1485-1 50&. 



9 W > 



quired immense wealth, not only in money, but also in plate and 
jewels. He kept it, with the most anxious care, under his own lock 
and key, in secret apartments in the palace at Richmond. 




Style of architecture at the time of Henry VII. 

2. There was one feeling - which was strong enough to overcome 
his avarice ; this was the ambition of having a splendid tomb. With 
this view, he commenced the building of what is now known as Henry 
VII. 's Chapel, at Westminster Abbey. The best architects of the age 
were called upon to furnish designs for this magnificent building, on 
which the king did not grudge to expend large sums of his hoarded 
wealth. It is still one of the most beautiful edifices in England. 

3. There arose at this time a remarkable change in the style of 
architecture, through the introduction of what has been called the 
f oriel style, but which might with much propriety be styled the Tudor 
style, since it came in with Henry VII. and went out with his grand- 
daughter Elizabeth, the last of the Tudors. 

4. All the buildings of this kind are very beautiful, and are suffi- 
ciently distinguished from the Gothic piles of the Plantagenets, and 
massy buildings of the Anglo-Normans, by the flat arch, called Henry 
the Seventh's arch, and the profusion of ornament with which every 
part is loaded. 

5. We have already stated that Henry gave great encouragement 
to commerce. By this means he had acquired in foreign countries 
the reputation of being the most sagacious, as w r ell as the wealthiest, 
monarch of his time. When Columbus failed in his endeavors to 



he ! ratify the feeling ? 3. 4. What change took place in the style of architecture ? 
19* 



222 COLUMBUS AND THE CABOTS. — 1496. 

obtain assistance in Spain, in order to enable him to prosecute hia 
voyage in search of land, which he felt convinced he should reach by 
sailing-westward, he determined to apply to Henry. 

6. Accordingly, he sent his brother Bartholomew to England fo> 
this purpose ; but he unfortunately was taken by pirates on the way, 
and detained by them for four years. At last, in 1489, he made his 
escape and got to England, but in too destitute a condition to be able 
to present himself to the king. 

7. His industry and activity of mind soon furnished him with a re- 
source. He set himself to work to make maps and sea-charts, and 
finding a ready sale for them, he was able to purchase some decent 
clothes, with which to appear at court. Presenting one of his maps to 
the king, he requested an audience, which being granted, he explained 
to him all his brother's views and wishes. 

8. Henry was so much struck with their feasibility, that he agreed 
to give Columbus the assistance he desired, and Bartholomew was 
sent to invite him to England. But before he arrived in Spain, Co- 
lumbus had already sailed on his first voyage, under the patronage of 
Queen Isabella. 

9. Henry did not abandon the idea of making discoveries ; for, in 
1496, after Columbus had returned to Europe, with the account of 
what he had seen, Henry fitted out a small fleet, and sent them on a 
voyage of discovery, under the command of John Cabot, a Venetian 
merchant. 

10. Cabot sailed in a northwest direction, and the first land he saw 
was what we call Newfoundland, but which he called Prima Vista, 
(first seen ;) he next saw the Island of St. John's, and sailed to the 
south as far as Virginia, and then returned to England, where the 
king received him with great honor. 

11. Cabot was in fact the first discoverer of the continent of 
America; for Columbus, who certainly deserves all the honor of the 
discovery, since he pointed out the way to it, had not, at the time of 
Cabot's first voyage, seen any part of America, except some of the 
islands. 

12. John Cabot had a son, named Sebastian, who was a greater 
navigator than his father. He accompanied him in his voyage to 
America, and, in the reign of Henry VIII., was employed on many 
important occasions, and became highly celebrated in his vocation 
His merit and knowledge procured him great consideration in Eng 
land. 

7, 8. Relate the particulars of Columbus' application to Henry. 9, 10. What is said of 
JohnCabnt? 11. What continent rlid he discover? Why is Columbus entitled to the 
most credit? 12. What is said of Sebastian Cubot? 



DEATH OF HENRY HI. -1509. 



223 



CHAPTER CXXII. 

Death of Henry VII. — The Star Chamber. 




The Star Chamber. 

1. In 1500, the king's eldest daughter, Margaret, married James 
IV. of Scotland, and it is from this marriage that the Stuarts derived 
their title to the crown of England. In 1501, his eldest son, Arthur, 
married Catharine of Anjou, daughter of Ferdinand and Isabella, the 
King and Queen of Spain ; but in the following spring the young 
prince died, and Henry, unwilling to lose the marriage portion of the 
Spanish princess, married her to his other son, Henry, a boy of eleven 
years old. 

2. A new means of increasing his wealth now offered itself to 
Henry ; this was by marrying an heiress ; for his wife, the Princess 
Elizabeth, was dead. The Queen of Naples was reputed to be im- 
mensely rich, and he accordingly made his proposals to her. But 
before the final arrangements had been made, he ascertained that he 
had been deceived in regard to her wealth, and withdrew his offer. 

3. A violent attack of the gout gave Henry warning that all his 
schemes of revenge, avarice and ambition would soon be brought to 
a close. He now devoted the remnant of his life to make prepara- 
tions for the awful change he had to expect ; but even his dying acts 
were tinctured by that calculating, money-loving spirit which had 
governed his life. 

CXXII. — 1. When and to whom was the king's eldest daughter married? What is 



224 HENRY VIII. — 1509. 

4. Amongst other things, he ordered that two thousand prayers 
should be said for him, for which no more than sixpence apiece was 
to be paid. One or two of his bequests, however, show something 
like a conscience. He ordered that restitution should be made to those 
persons from whom Empson and Dudley had extorted more than the 
law would warrant. 

5. He also ordered the debts to be paid of all persons who were 
imprisoned in London for sums under forty shillings. He died on the 
21st of April, 1509, in the twenty-fourth year of his reign, and the 
fifty-fourth of his age. 

6. Though the reign of Henry VII. was on the whole favorable to 
liberty, there was one institution of his which proved, as we shall see 
in the course of our history, an instrument of the greatest oppression. 
This was the Star Chamber, an arbitrary court of law, in which the 
king used to attend in person as judge. It was called the Star Cham 
ber, from the decorations of the room in which the sessions were held. 

FAMILY OF HENRY VII. 

WIFE. 

Elizabeth, daughter of Edward IV. 

SONS. 

Arthur, who was espoused to Catharine, of Anjou, and died before his fathei. 
Henry, who succeeded his father on the throne. 

DAUGHTERS 

Margaret, married to James IV., of Scotland, and afterwards to Douglas, Earl 
of Angus. 

Mary, married first to Louis XII.. of France : afterwards to the Duke of Suf- 
folk. 

i 

GRANDCHILDREN. 
Edward VI., } 

Mary, s Children of Henry VIII. 

Elizabeth, ) 

James V., of Scotland, father of Marv, Queen of Scots, } Children 

Margaret Douglas, mother of Henry Darnley, and of Charles Stu- > of 

art, father of Lady Arabella Stuart, ) Margaret. 

Margaret Brandon, daughter of Mary, and the mother of Lady Jane Grey. 






CHAPTER CXXIII. 

Henry VIII. — Happy Circumstances under which he came to 
the Throne. — Rise of Wolsey. 

1. There was great joy in England at the accession of Henry 
VIII. ; for his father had incurred the hatred of the people by his jeal- 
ousy, his severity, and his avarice. The new king was only eighteen 

said of the marriage of his sons? 2. What of his own marriage? "When did he die? 
What was the length of his reign ? What his age ? 



CARDINAL WOLSEY. — 1509. 



225 



years old, but he gave the most promising- hopes of making a good 
sovereign, by the progress he had made in his literary studies ; for he 
had received what was then thought a good education, and had more 
learning than most princes of his time. 

2. He was distinguished for the strength and beauty of his person, 
and for his skill in all athletic exercises. His complexion was fresh 
and ruddy, and the animation of his manner appeared to great advan- 
tage, after the gloom and reserve of the late king. 

3. The contending titles of York and Lancaster were united in his 
person ; his father had left him an enormous treasure, and the country 
was free from foreign and from domestic wars. In short, no king of 
England ever began to reign under more prosperous circumstances. 
But though free from all external foes, he had one implacable enemy 
that pursued him from the earliest to the latest hour of his life, and 
that enemy was his own violent temper. 

4. The naturally lavish disposition of the young king made him 
yield readily to the influence of the Earl of Surrey, who sought to 
engage him in such a course of amusements as might make him negli- 
gent of public business, and willing to trust the affairs of state entirely 
to his ministers. 




Cardinal Wolsey. 

5. The hoarded wealth of Henry VII. was rapidly squandered in 
tournaments and other expensive entertainments, to the great grief of 
his son's careful counsellor. Fox, Bishop of Winchester, who, finding- 
remonstrances unavailing, introduced at court Thomas Wolsey, who 
had already shown himself to be a very shrewd and dexterous man, 



CXX1II. — 1, 2. What is said of Henry VIII. 'a character? 3. Under what circum- 
stance;) did h". ascend the throne .' 4. 5. What is said of hid early conduct i How did 

15 



226 CARDINAL WOLSEY. — 1509 — 1512. 

by -whose assistance he hoped to counteract the influence of Surrey 
and to restrain the follies of the youthful king. 

6. Wolsey, M 7 ho for a time acted a more important part in the afTahs 
of the world than even his master, was the son of a butcher at Ipswich. 
The great abilities and the fondness for study which he showed in his 
childhood, led to his being sent to the University of Oxford, where he 
took his first degree at so early an age as to be called the boy-bachelor. 

7. Having filled various stations with great reputation, he came at 
last to be made one of the king's chaplains. His merit was not long 
overlooked by Henry VII., who, having occasion to send to the Em- 
peror of Germany upon a matter that required despatch, as well as 
adroitness, selected Wolsey for the office. 

8. The latter, having received his instructions, set off on his jour- 
ney, and made such haste, that he was back again on the third day, 
and presented himself at court. The king, who was not used to such 
despatch in his courtiers, blamed him for not being yet gone, since the 
matter required haste ; to which Wolsey replied by presenting him 
with the emperor's answer. 

9. The king wondered much at his speed, but then asked him if he 
had met a messenger, who had been sent after him to inform him of a 
special matter which had been forgotten in his instructions. 

10. To which Wolsey answered, " May it please your grace, I 
met him yesterday by the way, but that matter 1 had attended to before, 
taking the boldness to do it without authority, as knowing it to be of 
special consequence ; for which boldness I humbly entreat your grace's 
pardon." The king not only pardoned him, but bestowed upon him 
a lucrative office. 

11. Wolsey soon acquired an unbounded influence over Henry 
VIII. ; but he made a very different use of it from what Bishop Fox 
had intended ; for he only employed it to encourage the king's follies, 
and to promote his own advancement. He was soon made Archbishop 
of York and chancellor. 

12. The ignorant of all ranks attributed this influence to witchcraft, 
but more discerning men perceived that flattery was the art which 
Wolsey used. He affected to look up to Henry as the wisest of 
mortals. He promoted his amusements, and joined in them with the 
gayety of youth ; thus, making himself agreeable as well as useful, 
he ruled for ten years, with absolute sway, one of the most capricious 
and passionate of men. 

Fox try to counteract the influence of Surrey ? 6. Who was Wolsey? What of his 
early life? 8, 9, 10. What anecdote is related of his skill in business? 11, 12. Whai 
of his influence with Henry VIII. ? 



MORE ABOUT CARDINAL WOLSEY. 22, 



CHAPTER CXXIV. 

More about Cardinal Wolsey. — Untoward Accident wlucn 
befell a Dignitary of the Church. — Wolsey and the young 
Nobleman. 

1. The pope, observing the great influence which Wolsev had with 
the king, was desirous of engaging him in his interest, and'made him 
a cardinal. Never did a churchman equal him in state and dignity. 
His train consisted of eight hundred servants, of whom many were 
knights and gentlemen, and the young nobles served as his pages. 

2. He was the first clergyman in England that wore silk and gold, 
not only on his dress, but also on the saddles and the trappings of his 
horses. The tallest and handsomest priests were selected to carry 
before him the badges of his different offices. All this ostentation, 
instead of awing the people, only excited their merriment, and this 
was increased by an accident which happened to a brother cardinal. 

3. Pope Leo X. sent a cardinal to solicit Henry to ens-age in a war 
against the Turks. Wolsey, hearing of his arrival at Calais, with a 
retinue in a pretty ragged condition, sent over a quantity of red cloth, 
to enable them to make an appearance more becoming, as he conceived 
the dignity of their lord. 

4. Wolsey gave directions for the reception of the ambassador at 
"Dover with great distinction ; but was much mortified at finding that 
eight mules could bear all his baggage. Thinking these not enough 
for his honor, he sent him twelve more. 

5. " But now," as the old chronicler says, H see the shame of pride; 
for as they passed through Cheapside, in London, the mules by some 
mischance overthrew their coffers on the ground, whose lids flying 
open, showed the world what treasure it was that they carried, — old 
breeches, boots, and broken shoes, bones and crusts of bread ; expos- 
ing him to the laughter of all the people ; yet the cardinal went jogging 
on before, with his crosses, his gilt axe and mace, borne before 
him." 

6. Wolsey was very courteous to his dependants, and those who 
flattered and assisted him, but oppressive to the people, and haughty 
and arrogant in his treatment of the nobility. This conduct sometimes 
met with a mortifying rebuff. 

7. An extravagant young nobleman, having lately sold an estate 
containing a hundred houses, came ruffling into court in a new suit of 
clothes, saying, " Am not I a mighty man, that bear a hundred houses 
on my back ?" which Wolsey hearing, said, " You might better have 
employed it in paying your debts." " Indeed, my lord,", says the 
noble, " you say well ; for, my lord, my father owed to your father 
three half-pence for a calfs-head ; hold, here is two-pence for it." 

8. Nothing short of the popedom would satisfy the ambition of 

CXXIV — I. What of Wolsey'3 stvle of living? 3, 4. 5. Relate the accident whVh 
U:ell ihe pope's ambassador. 6, 7. Relate the anecdote of Wolsey am! the young noble 



22S HENRY VIII. INVADES FRANCE. — 1513. 

Wolsey. To procure the favor of the foreign princes, by whose 
patronage he hoped to obtain it, he sacrificed the interests of his own 
country, and made the king his perpetual dupe. 

9. Wolsey was a liberal patron of letters. Erasmus, a very learned 
man, who went frum Holland to teach Greek at Oxford, tells us that 
" this extraordinary man had a genius and a taste for learning, in which 
he had made great proficiency in his youth, and for which he retained 
a regard in the highest elevation." 

10. He invited the most learned men by his noble salaries. He 
furnished the libraries with the best books of that day. He recalled 
the learned languages, without which all learning is lame. He began 
the erection of a college at Oxford, intending to call it Cardinal Col- 
lege ; but he did not retain his power long enough to finish it. Henry 
VIII. seized upon its remains, and, completing the building, took to 
himself the credit of establishing it. 



CHAPTER CXXV. 

Henry invades France. — Battle of the Spi/rs. — Battle of 
Flodden Field. — The Emperor Charles V. visits England. 
— The Field of the Cloth of Gold. 

1. Henry aspired to the fame of being a great warrior. After mak- 
ing immense preparations, in 1513 he landed at Calais. From thence 
he proceeded to lay siege to Terouanne. A body of French troops wa8 
sent to the succor of the town. Henry, hearing of their approach, 
sent some troops to oppose them. « 

2. Notwithstanding the French troops consisted of men whose 
courage had been tried in many desperate battles, they fled so precip- 
itately at the approach of the English, that the engagement has been 
called the Battle of the Spurs. 

3. Scarcely ever was the French monarchy in greater danger than 
after this defeat ; for it was in no condition to defend itself against the 
powerful army of Henry. But that monarch's passion for military 
glory was already satisfied, and, after taking Tournay, he returned to 
England. 

4. Upon the same day that Tournay was taken, a battle was fought 
at Flodden, between James IV. of Scotland, and an English army 
under Lord Surrey, afterwards Duke of Norfolk. This is the battle 
of Flodden Field, so celebrated in the old ballads ; and so finely de- 
scribed by Scott in the poem of Marmion. The Scots were defeated, 
and James was killed. 

man. 8. What was now the object of Wolsey's ambition ? 9, 10. What of his patron- 
age of learning? 

CXXV. — i. When did Henry invade France? 2 What, name is eriven to a battle witu 
>he French? Why? 4. What battle was fought in Scotland? "With what result? 



THE FIELD OF THE CLOTH OF GOLD. — 1520. 



229 



5. Upon the death of Louis XII. , in 1515, Francis I. became King 
of France, and in 1517, Charles V. became King of Spain, and soon 
afterwards Emperor of Germany. Both these princes were young, 
possessed of great talents and boundless ambition. Each courted and 
cajoled Henry, whose blunt and open character was no match for 
either of them. 

6. Francis hoped by a personal interview to secure the favor of 
Henry, and therefore invited that monarch to meet him near Calais. 
But Charles was beforehand with him. For, as soon as he heard of 
the proposed meeting, he started for England, and landed at Dover, 
with a small attendance, before Henry had received any intimation of 
his purpose. 

7. In those days it show3d great confidence in a monarch's honor, 
thus to place one's self in his power, and the compliment thus paid 
by Cbarles was not without its influence upon the vain Henry. By 
flattering the latter, and by bribing Wolsey with gifts and promises, 
Charles detached them from the interests of France. He then went 
on his way to his possessions in Holland, and Henry proceeded to 
Calais to meet the French king. This meeting took place in June, 
1520, in a plain near that city. 




The meeting of Henry and Francis. 

8. Two thousand and eight hundred tents, many of them of silk and 
cloth of gold, were not sufficient to contain the multitudes who flocked 
to this splendid festival ; and many ladies and gentlemen of rank were 



:". When did Louis XII. die? Who succeeded him ? What of Francis I. and Charles V. ? 
6 What did Francis propose to Henry ? What did Charles do ? 7. What of Charles' 

20 



230 THE SALE OF INDULGENCES. - 1520. 

glad to obtain a lodging in barns, and to sleep upon hay and straw. 
The French and English vied with one another in the splendor of 
their dresses, and this meeting is celebrated as the " Field of the Chtl 
of Gold:' 

9. It continued a fortnight, and was a succession of entertainments. 
At first the two monarchs met, attended by their trains, and passed 
the day together, according to the formal etiquette prescribed by Wol- 
sey, who acted as master of ceremonies. 

10. But such dull parade did not suit the frank and ardent sphit 
of Francis, and, after two or three of these interviews, he mounted 
his horse one morning early, and rode off to the quarters of Henry. 
The English, who were on guard, were astonished to see the King 
of France at that hour, and without attendants ; but Francis desired 
to be conducted to Henry's apartment, and, undrawing his bed-cur- 
tains, awoke him out of his sleep. 

1 1. Henry was as much amazed as his guards had been ; and from 
that time the intercourse was conducted with more freedom, as it will 
appear from a little incident. One day, after the two kings had been 
looking at a wrestling match, Henry, seizing Francis by the collar, 
said, " My brother, you and I must wrestle," and endeavored to throw 
him down ; but Francis, being the most expert, nimbly twisted Henry 
round, and threw him to the ground. 

12. Though Henry affected to consider this as a pleasant joke, yet 
he was greatly vexed, and never forgave it. The two kings separated 
on the 25th of June, and more ceremonious visits were then exchanged 
between the Emperor Charles and Henry. Amidst the tournaments 
and splendid entertainments to which these gave occasion, Charles 
never lost sight of his own interests, but sought to make sure the 
favor he had gained with Henry and his ambitious minister. 



CHAPTER CXXVI. 

Henry VIII. writes a Book against the Reformation. — About 
Anne Boleyn. — Thomas Cranmer rises into notice. — Dis- 
grace and Death of Wolsey. 

1. In every age there had been some men, more enlightened than 
the great mass, who had protested against the assumptions of the see 
of Rome, as well as the immorality of the clergy. But it was not 
until the age at which we have now arrived that any very extensive 
effects were produced. 

2. Pope Leo X., having occasion for a great deal of money to 
carry on the building of the magnificent church of St. Peter at 
Rome, attempted to raise it by the sale of indulgences, or licenses to 

visit to England ? 8. What of the interview between Henry and Francis? 10,11. What 
did Francis do to get rid of the formality? 12. What of the final interview between 
Henry and Charles? 
CXXVI. — 2. What were indulgences? 3. Who opposed the sale of them ? 4. What 



ANNE BOLEYN. — 1521. 



231 



iw. as they have been called ; for these indulgences were understood 
not only to pardon past sins, but those that might afterwards be com- 
mitted. No doubt the sellers of these indulgences somewhat stretched 
their authority, but still it is evident that they were in the main sanc- 
tioned by the head of the church. 

3. Martin Luther, himself a monk, was induced to oppose the sale 
of these indulgences, and proceeding by degrees, he at length ven- 
tured boldly to deny the authority of the pope to issue them. He 
found ready converts to these opinions, and the Reformation, as it is 
called, made rapid progress. 

4. In 1521, Henry appeared in the field, as an author, against 
what he deemed the new heresies. He wrote a Latin book, which 
was presented with great ceremony to Leo, who rewarded the royal 
author with the title of " Defender of the Faith," and sent him a 
letter, praising his wisdom, learning, zeal, charity, gravity, gentle- 
ness and meekness," — most of which epithets few people could less 
deserve. 

5. But a change in the relations between the king and the pope 
was soon to take place, and we shall see the consequences. At the 
court of Henry was a beautiful young lady, named Anne Boleyn, 
who had been educated at the French court, and who had returned 
with her English beauty adorned by French grace and vivacity. 




Henry VIII. and Anne Boleyn. 

6 The king was captivated by her charms, and sought for some 
pretext upon which he could be separated from his wife, that he might 
marry Anne. This was soon found, and Wolsey was sent to the 
pope to sue for a divorce upon the ground of Catharine's previous 
marriage with Prince Arthur. 



did Henry VIII. do ' 5, 6. What led to a change in the relations between Henry and tha 



232 



THOMAS CRANMER.-152S. 



7. The pope, unwilling to displease the emperor, who was tne 
nephew of Catharine, declined giving a decided answer, and, after 
keeping Henry in suspense for a year, sent, in 1528, Cardinal Cam- 
peggio to England, to decide, in concert with Wolsey, the validity of 
the king's marriage with Catharine. 

8. Campeggio tried to settle the difficulty, by private negotiation. 
He first addressed himself to the king, and exhorted him to give up 
the thoughts of a divorce. Not succeeding in this, he sought to 
prevail on Catharine to retire to a nunnery ; but with her he was also 
unsuccessful. After another year of delays, the two cardinals pro- 
ceeded to a trial ; but they seemed unwilling to come to a decision. 
The king's patience was nearly exhausted, and it now became apparent 
to the courtiers that Wolsey 's favor was waning. 

9. It chanced about this time that Gardiner and Fox, two of the 
king's servants, fell by accident in company with a young priest, 
named Thomas Cranmer. The conversation turned upon the sub- 
ject of the king's divorce. Cranmer at first declined any opinion 
about it, but, being pressed, said he would spend no time in negoti- 
ating with the pope, but would propose to the most learned men in 
Europe this plain question, " Can a man marry his brother "s 
widow?" 

10. The two doctors were much struck with this hint, and men- 
tioned it to the king, who exclaimed, in his blunt way, " that Cran- 
mer had got the right sow by the ear" Cranmer was at once taken 




Death of Wolsey. 

into the service of the king, and engaged to write a book in favor of 
the divorce. 



pope? 7, 8 How did the pope seek to avoid a quarrel? 9, 10. What brought Cranmei 



HENRY MARRIES ANNE BOLEYN. — 1533. 233 

.11. From this time Wolsey's influence declined. Anne Boleyn 
who suspected that he opposed her elevation to the throne, joined 
his enemies, of which his pride and arrogance had created many. 
Such secrecy was used, that Wolsey"s first knowledge of their pro- 
ceedings was an indictment brought against him with the king's con- 
sent. 

12. All his property, even his clothes, and a tomb which he had 
prepared for himself at Windsor, were seized by the king, and he was 
himself banished from court. Henry's resentment, however, soon 
subsided, and he sent Wolsey a general pardon, restoring a portion of 
his revenues, but requiring him to reside at York. 

13. But adversity had not cured him of his love of magnificence, 
which again drew on him the king's displeasure. He was now 
arrested for high treason. His anxiety threw hirr into a violent fever ; 
in which condition he set out on his journey to ihe Tower. On the 
third day he arrived at Leicester Abbey, and Wolsey said to the 
Abbot, who came to the gate to receive him, " My father, I am come 
to lay my bones among you." 

14. He was lifted from his mule, and carried to his bed, from 
which he never rose. He died November 29th, 1530. On his 
death-bed he uttered these affecting words : " Had I served my God 
as diligently as I have served my king, he would not have left me 
in my gray hairs." 



CHAPTER CXXV1I. 

Henry VIII. marries Anne Boleyn, and is declared Head of 
the English Church. — The Monasteries dissolved. — Sir 
Thomas More. — Death of Anne Boleyn. — Marriage and 
Death of Jane Seymour. 

1. From the time of Wolsey's disgrace, Henry was busily em- 
ployed in collecting the opinions of learned men on the subject of the 
divorce. But delay after delay was made by the clergy, and two 
more years passed without the business being at all advanced. 

2. In 1533, Cranmer was made Archbishop of Canterbury, and pro- 
ceeded to try the question. A sort of court was assembled, and, 
after a fortnight spent in hearing arguments, sentence of divorce 
was pronounced, declaring that the marriage was not valid from the 
beginning, and that Mary, daughter of Catharine, was not an heir to 
the crown. 

3. The poor queen retired to Ampthill, where she died in 1536, 
and the king was publicly married to Anne Boleyn. The news of 
the sentence excited violent commotion at Rome. The pope at first 

into notice? 11, 12. What now befell Wolsey? 13. 14. Relate the particulars of his 
death. 
CXXVII. — 1. 2. When was the matter of the king's divorce settled? 3. What did 
20* 



234 



SIR THOMAS MORE. — 1536. 



was doubtful what to do ; but at length issued an angry decree, de- 
claring the marriage with Catharine to be valid. 




Henry VIII. becomes Head of the Church. 

4. He soon saw the political error he had committed ; for Henry, 
in a violent passion, called a parliament, which transferred the suprem- 
acy of the Church of England from the pope to the king, and with 
it all the revenues that had hitherto accrued to the see of Rome. 
The monasteries and nunneries were also dissolved, and their posses- 
sions bestowed upon the king. 

5. Commissioners were sent over the kingdom, requiring all per- 
sons to subscribe the act that had declared the king to be the head of 
the church. Sir Thomas More, and Fisher, Bishop of Rochester, 
both men of great learning and wisdom, refused to subscribe, and 
were consequently beheaded. 

6. Sir Thomas was one of the most learned and virtuous men of 
his age. He gave proofs at an early period of his genius, and great 
pains were taken with his education. When he was about twenty, 
he became a religious devotee, wore a hair shirt, slept upon boards, 
and had a great inclination to become a monk. 

7. In conformity, however, with his father's commands, which he 
never disobeyed, he gave up his own pleasure, and applied himself 
to the study of the law. He soon became conspicuous for his elo- 
quence, and was employed in every important cause. 

8. In the midst of the greatest hurry of business, in which his 
whole day was occupied, he stole time from his sleep to pursue his 
favorite studies, and to compose his Utopia, which excited universal 
admiration. Henry VIII. was so pleased with his conversation, that 
he sent frequently for him to entertain and divert him. 

the pope do? 4. What was the consequence of the pope's measures? 5, 6, 7, 8, 9. 



DEATH OF ANNE EOLEYN. — 1535. 



23,1 



l). This was very disagreeable to Sir Thomas, as it consumed so 
much of his time, and in order to get rid of this royal interruption 




Death of Sir Thomas More. 

he made use of a stratagem. He affected to be very dull and unen- 
uertaining several times successively, and was no more sent for, sac- 
rificing the reputation of being a wit, and the conversation of a king, 
to save his time. 

10. Anne Boleyn's enjoyment of a crown was of short duration. 
Her French manners and vivacity, though so pleasing to the king 
before, displeased him after she became queen. Upon a false accusa- 
tion she was, therefore, arrested on the 2nd of May, 1536, and sent 
a prisoner to the Tower. 

11. She now paid dearly for her brief exaltation ; accused of a 
crime of which she was innocent, denied the sight of her parents, and 
surrounded by her bitterest enemies, after a mock trial, at which she 
was allowed no counsel, she was pronounced guilty, her marriage de- 
clared void, and herself condemned to death. Her daughter, Eliza- 
beth, afterwards queen, was declared incapable of inheriting the 
crown. 

12. Anne was beheaded, and the king paid her memory the com- 
pliment of wearing white mourning one day, and on the next was 
married to Jane Seymour, daughter of Sir Thomas Seymour. The 
new queen died at the end of the year, leaving one son, Edward. 

What is said of Sir Thomas More? 10, 11. What was the fate of Anne Boleyn? V\ 
Whom did the king marry next? 



236 ANN OF CLEVES. — CATHARINE HOWARD. — CATHARINE PAFR. 



CHAPTER CXXVIII. 

Thomas Cromwell. — The King marries in succession Ann of 
Cleves, Catharine Howard, and Catharine Parr. 

1. Among the few of Wolsey's servants who remained faithful 
to their master in his disgrace, was Thomas Cromwell, the son of a 
blacksmith, who, by the force of his natural talents, had risen from 
the situation of a common soldier to be the secretary and confidential 
friend of the cardinal. After the death of Wolsey, he entered into 
the service of the king, and rose rapidly in favor, so that he engrossed 
some of the chief offices in the state. 

2. The king now looked abroad for a wife ; but there were some 
who thought that the brief enjoyment of the post of queen might be 
paid for too dearly; one lady whom he asked, sent him a refusal, 
saying, " She had but one head ; if she had two, she might have 
ventured to marry him." 

3. Cromwell, who was a zealous friend to the Reformation, was 
desirous that Henry should ally himself to one of the Protestant 
princes of Germany, and procured a portrait of Ann of Cleves, to 
show to the king. Henry was so much pleased with the picture, that 
he sent to demand the lady in marriage. 

4. When she arrived in England, the king found her so unlike the 
portrait, that he was with difficulty persuaded to marry her; and 
when he discovered that she was stupid and ignorant, and could 
speak no language but Dutch, he disliked her more than before, and 
resolved on being divorced from her ; but, as a first step, he beheaded 
Cromwell, because he had been the adviser of the measure. 

5. He then summoned a parliament, who most obsequiously de- 
clared the marriage void. The king treated Ann with much liberal- 
ity, assigning her an ample income, and a fine palace, and she passed 
the rest of her life to all appearance very contentedly. 

5. A fortnight had not elapsed, before Henry presented Catharine 
Howard, niece of the Duke of Norfolk, to the court as queen. He 
was so much charmed with the wit and agreeableness of his new 
wife, that he caused a thanksgiving prayer to be made for his happy 
marriage. But he soon found reason to be discontented, and, on the 
12th of February, 1542, she lost her life upon the scaffold. 

7. Tired of marrying for beauty, Henry looked out for sense and 
discretion in his next wife, which he happily found united in Catha-. 
rine Parr, the widow of Lord Latimer. He married her in 1543. 
She contrived to preserve the good opinion of the king, amidst all the 
storms and variations of his capricious temper. 

CXXVIII. — 1. Who was Thomas Cromwell ? 3. Whom did Cromwell induce the king 
to marry? 4. How was the king pleased with his bride? 5. What became of her? 6 
Whom did he next marry 1 What became of this wife ? 7. Who was his last wife? 



HENRY VIII. AND THE REFORMERS. — 154a 237 



CHAPTER CXXIX. 

Henry VIII. very zealous against Heretics. — Catharine Parr 
incurs great Danger. — By ivhat Means she escapes from it. 

1. It was, as already stated, in a fit of passion that Henry re- 
nounced the authority of the pope. He was very far from being a 
convert to the doctrines of Luther and other reformers. It is true 
he abolished monasteries and nunneries, with all their rules and ob- 
servances ; but yet he appointed priests to say masses for his own 
soul. 

2. All who denied the supremacy of the king in matters of ^iigion 
were deemed heretics, and many were burned to death ; papists and 
Protestants suffered at the same stake. The king was particularly 
vain of his theological knowledge, and even engaged in public contro- 
versies with those who were accused of heresy. 

3. Theology was also a favorite topic of conversation, but woe to 
such as had the hardihood to diifer from the despotic and passionate 
monarch. Queen Catharine, who was at heart a Protestant, incurred 
no small hazard. Upon one occasion she expressed herself rather too 
strongly in favor of the reformed faith. 

4. Henry, provoked that any one should presume to differ from 
him, complained of the queen's obstinacy to Gardiner, a bigoted 
Roman Catholic, who sought to inflame the quarrel. He at length 
prevailed on the king to consent that the queen should be publicly 
accused and tried as a heretic. 

5. With so capricious a monarch it was dangerous for any officer 
to sign the articles, since it was high treason, a capital offence, for 
any one to slander the queen. The paper was prepared for the king's 
own signature. By some means it fell into the hands of the queen's, 
friends, and she was at once informed of her danger. 

6. She did not despair of being able, by prudence and address, to 
disappoint the efforts of her enemies. She paid her usual visit to the 
king, and found him more placid than she expected. He entered at 
once upon his favorite topic, and seemed to challenge her to an argu- 
ment in divinity. 

7. She gently declined the conversation, saying that such profound 
speculations were ill suited to her sex. That she was blessed with a 
husband who was qualified, by his judgment and learning, not only to 
choose principles for his own family, but for the most wise and learned 
of the nation. That she found conversation apt to languish when 
there was no opposition, and therefore she sometimes ventured to op- 
pose, to give him the pleasure of refuting her. 

8. "And is it so?" replied the king; "then we are perfect 
friends again." Her enemies, who knew nothing of the change in 



CXXIX. — 1. What of the kind's feeling towards the Reformer;? 3. What danger 
did Catharine incur ? 5. How did she become informed of her daiver'/ 6,7,8. How 

did she avert it ? 9. What reception did her enemies meet will. ? 



238 



ARCHBISHOP CRANMER. 1543. 



the king's sentiments, prepared the next day to carry her to trie 
Tower. Henry and Catharine were conversing amicably in the 
garden, when the chancellor appeared, with forty of his attendant 
officers. 

9. The king spoke to him at some distance from her, and seemed 
to treat him with great severity ; she overheard the epithets, knave, 
fool, and beast, liberally bestowed upon the magistrate. When the 
king joined her, she interposed to mitigate his anger. " Poor soul !" 
said he, " you know not how ill entitled this man is to your good 
offices." The queen took good care never again to contradict his 
majesty, and Gardiner never could regain his good opinion. 



CHAPTER CXXX. 

Cranmer causes the Bible to be translated into E?iglish, and tc 
be publicly read. — Proofs of the Ignorance of the People. 




Cranmer. 

I. There was one of Henry's servants who retained the favor of 
his master from first to last, and that not by any obsequiousness, but 
by the integrity of his character. This was Cranmer. He was the 
only one of Henry's favorites who had no selfish views of his own. 
His whole soul was placed on one great object, the reformation of 
religion. 



CXXX. — 1, 2. What of Cranmer? 3. What effect had his virtues on Henry ? 4 



TRANSLATION OF THE BIBLE INTO ENGLISH. 233 

2. Wolsey's great abilities were solely employed in raising himself 
to the highest worldly dignity. Cromwell, though a zealous reformer, 
was intent on enriching himself from the pillage of the religious houses. 
Cranmer's character was so devoid of covetousness and ambition, that 
he at first declined the archbishopric, and at last accepted only from 
the hope that it would give him better means of forwarding the cause 
he had at heart. 

3. Notwithstanding a timidity of character which betrayed him into 
some weaknesses, the virtue of Cranmer awed the overbearing Henry, 
who usually contrived to send him to a distance when he was about to 
commit any of his flagrant acts. The king's regard for him was at all 
times sincere 

4. Upon one occasion, Gardiner and the Duke of Norfolk, the 
leaders of the papists, thought they had obtained the king's consent to 
send Cranmer to the Tower ; but Henry privately warned the arch- 
bishop of the plot, and advised him how to defeat the malice of his 
enemies. 

5. Cranmer was very anxious that the public service of the church 
should be in English instead of Latin, but he knew that the king 
would violently oppose such a change. He therefore thought it best 
to lead to it by degrees ; and when a prayer was to be composed for 
the king's preservation, in an expedition to France, in 1544, Cranmer 
besought him that it might be composed in English, that the people 
might pray with more fervor, from understanding what they uttered. 

6. By degrees he gained permission to have the Lord's Prayer, the 
creed, and the Commandments read in English in the churches. He 
was also desirous of obtaining a better translation of the Bible than 
Wickliffe's, of which a few copies were yet extant. At last he 
gained the king's permission to have one prepared, but it was four 
years before it was completed. 

7. These Bibles, when they did appear, were received with thank- 
fulness all over the kingdom ; they were placed in churches, and 
secured by a chain to the reading-desk. The people flocked to the 
places where they could hear the holy book read, and many persons 
learned to read for the sole purpose of perusing it. But Henry, in 
the latter part of his life, would not permit the scriptures to be read 
by the lower orders of the people. 

8. The increase of books, through the invention of printing, had 
already made the English much greater readers than formerly ; but 
in regard to writing, they do not seem to have been much advanced. 
An anecdote illustrative of this is contained in a letter, dated 1516, 
giving an account of some seditious paper which was stuck up on St. 
Paul's church. 

9. In order to discover who had written it, the aldermen of Lon- 
don were ordered to go round all the wards, and " see all write who 
could." We may conclude, also, that country gentlemen were not 
hetter scribes than the citizens ; for in a book on agriculture, written 

What instance of the king's regard for him? 5. What object had Cranmer much at 
heart? 6. What of his translation of the Bible? 7. How' did the people recoive the 
B'b'iel 8, 9. What instances of the ignorance of the people? 



240 TYRANNY CF HENRY. -1546. 

about this time, it is suggested that those gentlemen who could not 
write might note down anything they wished to remember by cutting 
notches on a stick. 



CHAPTER CXXXI. 

War between England and Scotland. — Battle of Solway Moss. 

— Death of the King of Scotland, who is succeeded by the 
beautiful Mary, Queen of Scots. — Henry becomes more ty- 
rannical, as he grows old. — Arrest of the Duke of Norfolk, 
and of the Earl of Surrey. — Character of these Noblemen. 

— Death of Surrey. — Death of Henry VIII. 

1. Henry was very fond of royal interviews, and, in 1541, a meet- 
ing between him and his nephew, James V., of Scotland, was agreed 
upon, to be held at York. Henry and his court kept the appointment, 
and waited for some days ; but the King of Scots was prevented by his 
clergy from fulfilling the engagement. 

2. Henry was so much enraged at this insult, that he declared war 
against him. The English army obtained a victory at Solway Moss, 
and James was so much overwhelmed when he heard of it, that he 
sunk into a settled melancholy, and died December 14th, 1542, leaving 
an infant daughter, only seven years old, as heir to his throne. 

3. This princess was the celebrated Mary, Queen of Scots, of 
whose unhappy life and death you will hear in its proper place. 
Henry was desirous of a marriage between the young Queen of Scot- 
land and his son Edward, and used both force and artifice to bring it 
about. He wished also to be made Protector of Scotland during the 
queen's minority ; but the Scots were too bold to be frightened, and 
too wary to be ensnared. 

4. In 1546 peace was made with Scotland, and Henry, being also 
at peace with France and Germany, had nothing to do but to torment 
his own subjects. As he required the people to make his opinion the 
standard of their faith, and was continually changing that opinion, and 
making contradictory laws, it was scarcely possible for his subjects to 
steer a safe course, among the difficulties which his tyrannical caprice 
laid in their way. 

5. Towards the end of his life he was troubled with a very painful 
disorder in his leg, w T hich, added to his unwieldly corpulence, disabled 
him from walking, and made him more furious than a chained lion. 
These infirmities so greatly increased the natural violence of his tem- 
per, that everybody was afraid to come near him. 

6. Even the queen, though she was his most attentive nurse, per- 

CXXXI. — 1,2. What led to a war with Scotland ? What effect had the defeat of the 
Fcots upon their kin?? Who succeeded James V. ? 3. What marriaee was Henry de- 
sirous tip effect ? 4. What of his treatment of his own subjects? 5. What increased his 
naiurul ill tamper? 6. What was one of the last acts of his life 1 7. What of the Buke 



DEATH OF HENRY VIII. — 1547. 241 

forming the most disagreeable offices for him, was treated with harsh 
ness. His tyranny and caprice were such that none could feel safe. 
Among the last acts of his life was the arrest of the Duke of Norfolk, 
and his son, Lord Surrey. 

7. The former was regarded as the greatest subject in the king- 
dom. He had been one of the king's earliest favorites ; he had Ten- 
dered great services to the crown, which had been rewarded by honors 
and estates ; he was allied to the royal family by marriage in various 
ways. 

8 The Earl of Surrey was the most accomplished nobleman in the 
kingdom. He was equally distinguished as a courtier, a scholar, and 
a soldier. Himself a poet, he was a liberal patron of letters and of the 
fine arts. Both these noblemen were zealous Roman Catholics, and 
the duke was regarded, both at home and abroad, as the head of that 
party. 

9. It was doubtless the king's fear that they might prove dangerous 
subjects during the minority of his son Edward, that led to their ruin. 
But the charges actually brought against them were frivolous in the 
extreme. But with the parliaments and juries of Henry's reign this 
was of small consequence. Surrey was found guilty of high treason, 
and was beheaded January 19th, 1547. 

10. Norfolk tried every concession to save his own life ; but Henry, 
as if he thirsted for blood, hurried on the proceedings of parliament, 
and the death warrant was signed January 27th, but before it could be 
executed, the king expired, and thus his victim escaped. 

11. Henry's temper was so terrific, that, when he was dying, no 
person dared to give him the least hint of his danger. At last one 
bolder than the rest ventured to tell him he had not long to live, and 
asked him if he would have a clergyman sent for. He replied, " If 
any, Cranmer." When the archbishop arrived, the king was speech- 
less, but he knew Cranmer, and expired as he pressed his hand. He 
was in the fifty-sixth year of his age, and the thirty-eighth of his reign. 

12. Though the princesses, Mary and Elizabeth, had been declared 
not to be capable of inheriting the crown, Henry appointed them in 
his will, after their brother, to the succession. In case they all died 
without children, he left the succession to the heirs of his youngest 
sister, the Duchess of Suffolk, in exclusion of those of his eldest sis- 
ter, Margaret, who, after the death of the King of Scotland, had mar- 
ried the Earl of Angus. 

FAMILY OF HENRY VIII. 

WIVES. 

Catharine of Arragon, whom he divorced. 
Anne Boleyn, whom he beheaded. 
Jane Seymour, who died a natural death. 
Ann of Cleves, whom he divorced. 
Catharine Howard, whom he beheaded. 
Catharine Parr, who survived him. 

of Norfolk? 8. What of Lord Surrey? 9, 10. What was the fate of these noblemen? 
Jl. Relate the particulars of Henry's death. 12. What did he appoint as the order of 
succession ? 

16 



242 ANECDOTES OF HENRY VIII. 

CHILDREN. 
Edward, son of Jane Seymour, who succeeded. 

Mary daughter of Catharine of Arragon, ) Afierwardg Queens f Eng i and . 
Elizabeth, daughter of Anne Boleyn, ) ^ s 



CHAPTER CXXXII. 

Anecdotes of Henry VIII. — His Patronage of Men of Learn- 
ing. — Erasmus invited to England to teach Greek.- — Vio- 
lent Disputes as to the proper Pronunciation of that lan- 
guage. — The King interferes to put a stop to them. — Hans 
Holbei?i, the Painter. — Several new Vegetables introduced 
into England. 

It may seem extraordinary, that, notwithstanding his cruelty, his 
extortion, his violence, and the many vices which disgraced his char- 
acter, Henry possessed to the last, in some degree, the love and affec- 
tion of his subjects. His exterior qualities were calculated to capti- 
vate the multitude ; his magnificence and personal courage made him 
illustrious in vulgar eyes. His liberality helped to reconcile his cour- 
tiers to his ill-humors. 

2. A single anecdote will suffice to show how completely the Eng- 
lish people were subdued by the royal authority and will ; indeed, in 
regard to freedom of thought or action, they were little better off than 
the slaves of an eastern despot. Upon one occasion, the House of 
Commons did not pass a law granting a supply quite so speedily as the 
king wished. 

3. Whereupon Henry sent for Edward Montague, one of the mem- 
bers who had considerable influence in the house ; and he, introduced 
to his majesty, had the mortification to hear him speak in these words : 
" Ho ! man ! will they not pass my bill?" 

4. And laying his hand on Montague's head, who was then on his 
knees before him, " Get my bill passed by to-morrow, or else to-mor- 
row this head of yours shall be off!" The bill was passed within the 
appointed time. — After the evidence we have given of barbarism in 
the manners of the age, it will not surprise us to learn that the traffic 
in slaves, by Christian nations, began in the reign of Henry VIII. ; 
it is more melancholy to reflect that it continues to the present 
day. 

5. We have already said that Henry was distinguished among the 
princes of his age for his scholarship. Learning now became fashion- 
able in England. Erasmus speaks with great satisfaction of the 
regard paid by the nobles to men of knowledge. To speak and write 
pure Latin was deemed a polite accomplishment, to which persons of 
the highest rank and of both sexes aspired. 

CXXXII. — 1. What were the feelings of Henry's subjects towards him ? 2, 3, i 



ANECDOTES OF HENRY VIII. 243 

6. The greatest scholars of the age did not disdain to spend their 
time in writing grammars, vocabularies, colloquies and other books, 
to assist the unlearned in making this acquisition. Cardinal Wolsey 
is said to have written the preface to a grammar, which has not yet 
gone entirely out of use in England, prepared by William Lilly, a 
man who, for his great learning, was made the first master of St.. 
Paul's School, then just founded in London. 

7. The restorers of learning found it much more difficult to per- 
suade people that a knowledge of the Greek language was either 
useful or agreeable. By the invitation of Wolsey, Erasmus came to 
Oxford to teach Greek. The introduction of this study rent that uni- 
versity into violent factions, which frequently came to blows. 

8. The students divided themselves into parties, which bore the 
names of Grecians and Trojans, and sometimes fought with as great 
animosity as was formerly exercised by those hostile nations. A new 
and more correct method of pronouncing Greek being introduced, the 
Grecians themselves were divided into parties ; and it was remarked 
that the Catholics held to the old, while the Protestants favored the 
new mode. 

9. Bishop Gardiner declared, that rather than permit the liberty of 
changing the pronunciation of the Greek alphabet, it were better the 
language itself were banished from the universities ; and the king, by 
his influence, made it an offence, subject to whipping and other igno- 
minious punishments, to use the new pronunciation. 

10. Hans Holbein, having- acquired a great reputation as a painter 
in his native city of Basle, in Switzerland, was invited to England, 
where he was patronized by Henry VIII., who employed him to por- 
tray the beauties of his wives, or of those whom he proposed to wed. 
To procure a just report of the latter, he was twice despatched to the 
continent of Europe, as the secret emissary of the king's love. 

11. But he was not always a faithful messenger, for his pencil im- 
parted unmerited charms to Ann of Cleves, and ensnared his employer 
into a marriage. As he was one day engaged in painting- a lady's 
portrait for the king, a nobleman made his way into his room. Of- 
fended at the intrusion, Holbein pushed him down stairs. 

12. The nobleman went straight to Henry, complaining loudly of 
the insult, and demanding redress. " It is I, in the person of Hol- 
bein, who have been insulted," said the monarch ; " I can, when 1 
please, make seven lords of seven ploughmen ; but I cannot make one 
Holbein even of seven lords." 

13. It was not till the end of this reign that carrots, turnips, and 
other edible roots, were produced in England. The little of- these 
vegetables that was used was formerly imported from Holland and 
Flanders. Queen Catharine, when she wanted a sallad, was obliged 
to despatch a messenger thither on purpose. 

What anecdote is related of him? 5, 6. What is said of the study of Latin? 7, 8. 0. 
What of the Greek language ? 10, 11, 12. What of Hans Holbein 1 13. What of vet < 
tables ? 



244 



EDWARD VI. — 1547. 



CHAPTER CXXXIII. 

The Duke of Somerset appointed Protector. — Edward VI. — 
A Book of Prayer prepared. — Sternhold and Hopkins mane 
a Metrical Version of the Psalms. — The Thirty-nine Arti- 
cles. — An apparent general Conformity in religious Faith 




Edward VI. and Cranmer. 



1. Henry, who desired to rule even after his death, left very per- 
emptory commands fur the government of the state, until his son Ed- 
ward should be old enough to take the reins into his own hands. But 
all his directions were disregarded, and the government was entrusted 
to the Duke of Somerset, Edward's eldest uncle, under the title of 
Protector. 

2. Edward was in his tenth year when his father died, and his 
love of study and early application already gave great promise of his 
future capacity for government. The protector, who favored the 
Protestants, entrusted his education to men of the reformed religion. 
The young king readily imbibed their opinions, and he showed a 
knowledge, zeal and piety quite extraordinary in a boy of his age. 

3. Theology was his favorite study, and his greatest delight was 
listening to sermons. Latimer, who had suffered much in the reign 
of Henry for his zeal in behalf of the reformed faith, was appointed 
the king's preacher, and had a pulpit placed in one of the royal gar- 
dens, where Edward loved to sit out of doors and listen for hours to 
his very long, but very eloquent sermons. 

4. But we must not suppose that the king neglected his other 
studies. Plis Latin exercises have been preserved, and do him great 

CXXXIII. — 1. What of the government after Henry's death? 2. What of Kward? 
3. What was his favorite study ? 4. Did he respect others 't 5. What of the progress 



THE REFORMATION. — 1547. 21) 

credit. There can be no question that he possessed abilities of a very 
high order. At the same time he endeared himself to all around by 
the gentleness of his disposition. 

5. The work of reformation in religion was now undertaken in 
earnest. By direction of the protector, Cranmer, and Ridley, after- 
wards Bishop of London, prepared a book of prayer, from which thj 
one now in use in the English church differs but little. To conciliate 
those who yet inclined to popery, many of the prayers of the Romish 
church were retained. 

6. About the same time, Thomas Sternhold, an officer in the pal- 
ace of the king, being displeased by the silly and profane songs "he 
used to hear the courtiers sing, and thinking he should do them a 
kindness by furnishing them with something better, made a translation 
of the Psalms of David into verse, being assisted in the work by a 
schoolmaster, named Hopkins. 

7. At first these Psalms were sung to the tunes of songs, but soon 
becoming generally known and approved of, they were adapted to 
church music, and placed at the end of the Prayer Book. That there 
might be a general conformity in religious belief, Cranmer drew up 
forty-two articles, from which, with some slight alterations and re- 
trenchments, the Thirty-nine Articles are formed. These articles are 
a short summary of the doctrines of the Church of England. 

8. Severe penalties were denounced against all who did not avow 
their belief in the religion of the government. The Princess Mary, 
who was a rigid papist, refused to conform to the law. On this, her 
chaplains were imprisoned, and she herself threatened with punish- 
ment; but when she appealed to her cousin, the emperor, and made 
an attempt to escape from England, it was deemed prudent to permit 
her to worship God according to the dictates of her own heart, pro- 
vided she did it privately in her own house ; a concession which cost 
the young king many tears. 

9. Bishop Gardiner likewise refused to conform, and suffered im- 
prisonment. But the nation was in a great measure brought to a 
seeming conformity in religion. Some adopted the reformed faith 
from conviction of its truth ; some, because it was the religion of the 
court ; while those who had obtained grants of abbey lands warmly 
supported the views of the protector, lest, with the restoration of the 
old religion, they should be obliged to refund their share of the plun- 
der. 

of the Reformation ? What of the Bonk of Prayer? 6. Who made a metrical version 
of the~Psalms? Why was it done ? 7. What are the Thirty-nine Articles? 8. Who 
refused to confirm i o the reformed mode of worship? What was the result? 9. By 
what different motives were people actuated? 
21* 



246 BATTLE OF PINKIE. - 1547. 



CHAPTER CXXXiy. 






The Protector seeks to force a Marriage between Edward and 
Mary, — Battle of Pinkie. — Mary sent to prance. — Catha- 
rine Parr marries Lord Seymour. — Her Death. —Dudley, 
Earl of Warwick, induces Seymour to commit Acts which 
lead to his Execution. 

\. The marriage of Edward with the young Queen of Scots had 
been a favorite measure with Henry, who foresaw the advantages 
which would result from the union of the whole island under one 
government. He had enjoined it upon his council to procure its com- 
pletion by force, if it could not be done by negotiation. 

2. Failing in the latter, the protector, in 1547, marched into Scot- 
land at the head of an army, and advanced to within four miles of 
Edinburgh, without meeting with much opposition. At the same 
t ; me a large fleet arrived in the Frith of Forth to assist the operations 
of the army. The governor of Scotland summoned the whole force 
of the kingdom to repel this formidable invasion, and posted his army 
in a very advantageous position on the banks of the river Esk. 

3. Somerset, seeing the impossibility of attacking the enemy with 
any hope of success, moderated his demands, and only required that 
the young queen should not be married to any one else until she was 
old enough to choose for herself. But the Scots refused to agree to 
these terms, supposing that Somerset only offered them from finding 
himself in a perilous condition ; and they were confirmed in this be- 
lief, by observing that the English army moved towards the sea, as if 
to embark. 

4. To intercept its escape, the Scots unwisely left their strong 
post, and descended into the plain, placing themselves between the 
English and the sea. Here they were exposed to the cannon of the 
ships, and, being thus placed between two fires, were compelled to 
fall back. A panic now seized them, and the retreat became a flight. 

5. The Battle of Pinkie, as it is called, from the name of a house 
near the field, was fought September lOih, 1547. In it perished more 
than ten thousand Scots. Among these were a great number of 
monks and popish priests, who had been drawn to the camp by their 
hatred of the English heretics. A large number of prisoners were 
taken, amongst others the Earl of Huntley, who, being asked how he 
stood affected to the marriage, replied, " That he liked the marriage 
well enough, but he liked not the manner of wooing." 

6. These rough proceedings so irritated the Scots that they re- 
solved their queen should never marry Edward. To place hei 
beyond the power of the English, they sent her, being now six years 
old, to be educated at the court of France, and betrothed her to the 
dauphin. 



CXXXIV. — 1. Why did Somerset invade Scotland ? When ? 2. What did the Scots 
do I 6. What terms did Somerset propose? 4, 5. What of the battle of Pinkie? 6 



INSURRECTIONS AND TUMULTS. — 1549. 247 

7. Somerset now returned in great haste to England, for he had 
received intelligence of some designs to remove him from his high 
office. At the head of the malcontents was his own brother, Lord 
Seymour, who aspired to supplant the protector. Seymour was a 
man of great powers of flattery, and had won so much on the good 
opinion of Catharine Parr, that she married him very soon after 
Henry's death. 

8. She lived only a year after the marriage, and Seymour then 
aspired to a still higher connection ; for he addressed the Princess 
Elizabeth, and it is supposed would have been successful in his suit, 
had it not been opposed by other officers in the state. 

9. Seymour was encouraged in his opposition to Somerset by 
Dudley, Earl of Warwick, son of that wicked Dudley, who had 
been a judge in Henry VII. 's reign, and who hoped to raise himself 
by the ruin of both the brothers. Having induced Seymour to com- 
mit some violent actions, he then persuaded Somerset to have him 
arrested for high treason. His condemnation and execution soon fol- 
lowed, and thus the wicked designs of Dudley were to that extent 
successful. 



CHAPTER CXXXV. 

Consequences of the Suppression of the Religious Houses. — 
Somerset resigns the Protectorship. — Is condemned and exe- 
cuted for High Treason. — Waricick rules the Country. — 
Many Boohs destroyed for the sake of their rich Ornaments. 

1. The destruction of the religious houses was a very severe meas- 
ure upon large numbers of people. Some of the heads of these 
establishments were allowed small sums for their own support ; but 
the monks and nuns were turned adrift, a helpless race of creatures, 
who could do but little towards their own maintenance. 

2. It was also a harsh proceeding to those farmers who had enjoyed 
the church lands at easy rents. There was a still more numerous 
class of sufferers, the idle poor, who had been fed daily at the convent 
gates, and scarcely knew how to work. All these were now obliged 
to seek their daily bread by labor. 

3. In addition to the distresses of these persons, the industrious 
poor suffered greatly from a change which took place about this time 
in the system of agriculture. Many arable farms were, on account of 
the high price of wool, turned into sheep-pastures ; and a scarcity of 
corn, and a diminution of the demand for labor, were the consequences. 
These causes made the year 1549 a period of insurrections and tumults 
all over England. 

What effect had this invasion on the Scots? What resolution did they adopt? 7. 
What induced Somerset to return to England? What of Lord Seymour? Whom did he 
maTv ? 9. Who encouraged the opposition of Seymour? What was the result? 
CXXXV. — 1. What was one consequence of the destruction of the religious houses ) 



248 DISPOSAL OF THE RELIGIOUS HOUSES. 

4. The protector, who really felt a pity for the poor, did all in his 
power to relieve their distresses, and the commotions were quelled. 
But the protector gave offence to the nobles by the great state and 
royal dignity which he assumed. He also displeased the people of 
London, by demolishing a church to erect a magnificent palace upon 
its site. This palace, after being the residence of many royal person- 
ages, was pulled down in 1775, and a grand edifice for the accommo- 
dation of the public officers erected. The name of Somerset-house was 
still retained. 

5. A confederacy, headed by Warwick, was formed against the 
protector, who, seeing himself deserted by all except Cranmer and his 
secretary, Paget, resigned the protectorship. The government was 
entrusted to a council of regency, of which Warwick was the presi- 
dent. Not satisfied with the degradation of Somerset, Warwick, in 
1551, accused him of a design to excite a rebellion. 

6. Upon this charge Somerset was tried, condemned and executed, 
to the sincere grief of the people, to whom his goodness of heart had 
much endeared him. When he was beheaded, many rushed on the 
scaffold to dip their handkerchiefs in his blood, and these were pre- 
served as memorials of him. 

7. Under Warwick the work of the reformation was carried on 
with more intemperate zeal. The good Archbishop Cranmer endeav- 
ored to preserve to the popish clergy the scanty provision that still 
remained to them. But his integrity was no match for the avarice of 
the spoilers, whose rapacity nothing could escape. 

8. Under pretence of searching for forbidden books, the libraries 
of the universities of Oxford, and that at Westminster, were rum- 
maged, and all books with gold or silver ornaments on their bindings 
were seized as being superstitious relics, and thus many valuable 
works were destroyed. 

9. Books in these days were commonly bound in parchment, and 
much ornamented. Sometimes the clasps and the corners of the cov- 
ers were of gold or silver, and they were frequently secured to the 
shelves by long chains, to prevent their being carried away. One of 
the later kings, Charles I., had some books which were bound in 
velvet, and their clasps set with pearls and precious stones. 



CHAPTER CXXXVI. 

How the Religious Houses were disposed of. — Fashions of 
Dress. — Pins and Needles come into use. 

1. The reader may be curious to know what became of the old 
monasteries and nunneries. Some of them were, doubtless, levelled 
with the ground ; others were left to decay, and their ruins still 

3. What other cause produced distress? What was the consequence ? 4. Uow did tho 
pioleclor offend the nobles? 6, 7. Relate the rest of his story. 8. What of the progress 
of the Reformation ? 9. What of the binding of the books ? 



FASHIONS OF HENRY VIII. 'S TIME. — 1509— 1547. 219 

remain, objects of admiration to lovers of relics of antiquity. Many 
were given to laymen, who converted them into dwelling-houses. 

2. Some of these still preserve much of their original monastic 
appearance. Others retain only the name. Woburn Abbey is one of 
these, where nothing of the establishment remains, except, perhaps, 
the old oaks, one of which is pointed out as the tree upon which the 
last abbot was hung, for refusing to give up his house to the king's 
Commissioners. 

3. Henry bestowed many of the religious houses on his personal 
attendants. One was rewarded with some abbey lands for having 
wheeled his chair further from the fire, and a lady had a monastery 
given to her for making the king a dish of puddings which he liked. 
Many of the larger ones were converted to purposes of public utility. 
St. Stephen's Chapel was appropriated by Edward VI. to the meet- 
ings of the House of Commons, for which purpose it was used till its 
destruction by fire in 1834. 

4. Bethlehem Priory was converted into a hospital for lunatics, 
and its name corrupted into Bedlam Hospital. Another old religious 
house was converted into a school by Edward VI., and is now known 
as Christ's Hospital. Here more than one thousand orphan boys are 
maintained and educated ; the blue coats and petticoats, and yellow 
stockings of the boys, still show the dress worn by children in the 
reign of the founder. 

5. The fashion of the dress of the men of this age is retained to 
this date by the yeomen of the guard, or king's beef-eaters, as they 
are vulgarly called. Some antiquaries suppose this name to be a 
corruption of buffetiers, because it was part of their duty to guard the 
silver on the buffet or sideboard. Others derive it from the circum 
stance of there having been maintained for them a long oaken table, 
whereon roast beef, plum pudding, and other good cheer, was to be 
daily seen smoking at one o'clock. The dress is scarlet ; the coat 
like a modern frock coat, with yellow stripes. 

6. About the middle of the last century, in consequence of some 
jokes which were cut at the expense of the corps, whom some wag 
compared to boiled lobsters, the king ordered them to wear white 
stockings. But George IV., who loved splendor and had a good 
taste, renewed the red hose, which, with the adoption of the white 
ruff, and large white gauntlets, or gloves, restored to the guard its 
ancient showy splendor. As Henry VIII. was a fat, burly man, 
the courtiers stuffed out their clothes, to make themselves look as big 
as he did ; though the rest of the dress was wide and baggy, the 
sleeves were made so tight, that some of the fine gentlemen had them 
sewed up every time they put them on. 

7. One would think that so troublesome a fashion must have been 
confined to the rich, who had plenty of time to waste upon trifles. 
But that the fashions of the courtiers were aped by people of much 
lower degree, is clear from the following story. John Drakes, a 
shoemaker, was a great admirer of Sir Philip Calthorp's style of 

CXXXVI. — 1. What became of the monasteries and nunneries ? 3,4. Mention some 

t hit were appropriated to public uses. What of Christ's Hospital? 5. Rv what bo.ly 
is the fashion of dress of this period still retained? 6. What of the fashi.nn of Henry 



250 DUDLEY, DUKE OF NORTHUMBERLAND. 

dress, and prevailed with his tailor to make him some clothes which 
should be exactly like that gentleman's. 

8. Sir Philip having- ordered a new cloak, the fellow to it was 
accordingly made for John Drakes, which the knight hearing of, 
gave directions to the tailor to cut little slits all over his cloak. As 
the shoemaker's cloak was to be exactly like Sir Philip's, the tailor 
cut it also in the same way ; and this, as the story goes, completely 
cured John Drakes of aping Sir Philip Calthorp. 

9. The convenience of ladies' dress was very much assisted about 
this time by the invention of pins. Before this, there were a variety 
of contrivances for fastening clothes ; buttons, hooks and eyes, laces 
and loops ; and ladies used even wooden skewers to keep their dress 
in its proper place. Needles were not known till the reign of Mary, 
when a Moor came to London and made some there ; but, as he 
refused to discover his art, they were not manufactured in any con- 
siderable quantity till some time after. 

10. In the place of the large and fantastical head-dresses, which had 
been the vogue, ladies now wore coifs and velvet bonnets. Among 
gentlemen, long hair remained fashionable, through Europe, till the 
Emperor Charles devoted his locks for his health ; and Henry VIII., a 
tyrant even in matters of taste, gave efficacy to the fashion by a per- 
emptory order for his attendants and courtiers to poll their heads. 

11. The same spirit induced him to regulate the dress of his sub- 
jects. Cloths of gold or tissue were reserved for dukes and mar- 
quises, and that of a purple color for the royal family. Silks and 
velvets were restricted to persons of wealth and distinction, and em- 
broidery was forbidden to all beneath the dignity of an earl. Cuffs 
for the sleeves, and ruffs for the neck, were also the invention of 
Henry's reign. 



CHAPTER CXXXVII. 

Dudley marries his Son to Lady Jane Grey, whom Edward ap- 
points to be his Successor. — Death of Edward VI. — Lady 
Jane Grey proclaimed Queen by Dudley. — Her Claims not 
acknowledged by the People, and she yields to Mary. — 
Character of Lady Jane. 

1. The young king was now completely in the power of Dudley 
■who was created Duke of Northumberland, and endowed with the 
vast possessions which had belonged to the former earl, and which 
had been forfeited to the crown. 

2. Having attained to this height of power and wealth, his ambi- 

"VTII.'s time ? 8. What invention assisted the toilet of the ladies? 9. How were clothes 
fastened before this time? 10. What change in the head-dress? 11. What regulations 
for dress ? 

CXXXVII. — 1. What of the ambition of Dudley ? 2. To what did he try to persuade 



DEATH OF EDWARD VI. — 1533. 



251 



Hon soared still hig-her, and he formed the project of raising one of 
his sons to the throne. He began by persuading Edward that the 
declaration of his sister's incapacity to succeed him was irreversible, 
and that, consequently, as the Duchess of Suffolk had no sons, her 
eldest daughter, the Duchess of Dorset, was the undoubted heir to the 
crown. 




Lady Jane Grey. 

3. The duchess, who had no son, was willing- to resign her claim 
to her daughter, Lady Jane Grey, and Northumberland married her 
to his son, Gilbert Dudley. Edward felt no scruple about depriving 
Mary of her birthright, fearing that her bigotry w T ould be hurtful to 
the Protestant cause. 

4. But he felt many regrets in regard to Elizabeth, whom he af- 
fectionately loved, and used to call "his dear sister Temperance." 
He, however, consented to settle the succession upon Lady Jane Grey. 
The instrument of settlement was to be signed by all the great officers 
of state; when some of them hesitated to do so, Northumberland 
violently declared that he would fight anybody in his shirt, in so just 
a cause as that of Lady Jane's succession. 

5. Cranmer only yielded his consent to the pathetic entreaties of 
the king, and Sir James Hales, one of the judges, positively refused. 
From this time the king's health, which had before begun to decline, 
grew rapidly worse. Northumberland affected an anxious concern 
fur him, waited on him with the most assiduous zeal, and dismissing 
his physicians, put him under the care of an ignorant old woman, who 
pretended to have a specific for his disease. 

6. Edward was so far from receiving benefit from her treatment, 
that he soon after died, on the 6th of July, 1553, in the sixteenth 

»he kiti£r ? 3. To whom did Dudley marry his son? What relation was Lady Jane 
'Jrey to Edward? 4. Did Edward yield to his persuasions? 5, 6. Relate the remaining 



252 LADY JANE GREY. -1553. 

year of his age, and the seventh of his reign. His disease was prob- 
ably consumption ; but the suspicions of the people attributed his 
death to slow poison, given to him by the Dudleys ; for it was re- 
marked that his health had been declining from the time that Lord 
Robert Dudley was placed in close attendance upon his person. 
Robert was the son of the Duke of Northumberland, of whom we 
shall hear more under the title of Earl of Leicester. 

7. Northumberland did not at once proclaim the king's death, for 
he had not yet secured the persons of the two princesses. But they, 
having received intimation of their danger, put themselves in places 
of safety. The reason for secrecy being thus removed, Northumber- 
land proceeded in state to the residence of Lady Jane Grey, and sa 
luted her as queen. 

8. She had been kept in a great measure ignorant, of the duke's 
transactions, and now received intelligence of them with grief and 
surprise. She entreated that the dignity might not be forced upon 
her, and pleaded the superior claims of the two princesses. 

9. But the duke had gone too far to be stopped in his career by 
the scruples of a girl of sixteen ; and Lady Jane, who was of a timid 
and gentle disposition, was soon overborne by the entreaties of her 
father and father-in-law, and suffered herself to be proclaimed ; and, 
in compliance with custom, removed to the Tower to pass the first 
days of her reign. 

10. She had not long to endure the cares of royalty, for Northum- 
berland found few supporters in his scheme, and, after a joyless reign 
often days, Lady Jane returned to the privacy of her own house, and 
the Princess Mary took possession of the royal apartments in the 
Tower, amidst the loudest acclamations of the people, who dreaded 
the unprincipled character of the duke more than the stern bigotry 
of the Princess Mary. 

11. Lady Jane Grey was a singularly excellent woman. Being 
of the same age with the late king, she had received all her education 
with him, and seemed to possess even greater facility in acquiring 
knowledge. She had attained a familiar acquaintance with the Greek 
and Latin languages, besides modern tongues. 

12. Roger Ascham, tutor to the Princess Elizabeth, having one 
day paid her a visit, found her employed in reading Plato, while the 
rest of the family were engaged in a party of hunting in the park ; 
and on his admiring the singularity of her choice, she told him that 
" she received more pleasure from that author than the others could 
reap from all their sport and gayety." 

13. In one version of the story it is added that she told Ascham 
that she applied to study as a refuge from the severity of her parents, 
who used to " so sharply taunt her, and give her pinches, nips and 
bobs," if she displeased them in the slightest degree, that she was in 
constant misery in their presence. 

particulars of Edward's life. When did he die? In what year of his age? of hi3 
ivign? What of Robert Dudley? 7. Why did Dudley seek to conceal the king's death ? 
Whom did he proclaim sovereign? 8. What were Lady Jane Grey's feelings? 10. Dirt 
she retain the sovereignty ? 11. What was her character? 



THE MANNERS OF QUEEN MARY'S TIME. — 1553— 1£53. 2-53 



CHAPTER CXXXVIII. 

The Manners of Queen Mary's Time. — The Houses of the 
Nobles. — Some Particulars of the Mode of House-keeping 




Dress of Quee?i Mary's Time. 

1. From the observation at the close of the preceding- chapter, we 
may conjecture that the treatment of children by their parents was 
quite different from that adopted at the present day. The harshness 
of the English towards their offspring- excited formerly the surprise 
and condemnation of foreigners. 

2. Erasmus says that the English were like schoolmasters to their 
children ; and that the schoolmasters were like overseers of houses of 
correction. Children trembled at the sight of their parents, and the 
sons, even when they were forty years old, stood bareheaded before 
their fathers, and did not dare to speak without permission. 

3. The grown-up daughters never sat down in their mother's 
presence, but stood in respectful silence at the further end of the 
room, and when weary of standing, were perhaps allowed to knee] 
on a cushion. It was a privilege to be admitted to their presence 
at all, and it was only granted during short and stated periods of the 
day. 

4. The ladies in Queen Mary's reign carried fans with handles a 
yard long. The use of these handles one would hardly guess ; lor 



CXXXVIII 



1, 2. 3 How were children treated formerly in Ei 

22 



land? 4. What 



1*54 HOUSES OF THE NOBLES AND HOUSE-KEEPING. 

ihey were to beat their daughters with. After this account of the 
severity of parents, it need not surprise us to learn that the nobilitv 
were often employed as gaolers. 

5. When any person of rank was to be put under confinement, it 
v/as no uncommon thing to commit him to the custody of some- noble- 
man, whose house was thus converted into a prison. Indeed, the 
dwellings of the nobility were so surrounded by walls that they 
seemed as if they had been built for prisons originally. 

6. Let us imagine that we enter one of these old houses, and look 
at things as they were two or three hundred years ago. We will 
begin our survey at the kitchen, where we should probably see, if it 
was before eleven o'clock in the day, a huge fire, with a monstrous 
piece of meat roasting before it, turned by a poor miserable boy, whose 
business it was to act as turnspit, before smoke-jacks and roasters 
were invented. 

7. Let us next proceed to the great hall, where the lord of the 
mansion passed the day, and which in the night we should find spread 
with beds for the men-servants to sleep on. This hall we should ob- 
serve to be covered with rushes, under which was the accumulated 
dirt of twenty years, for so filthy were the English habits at this 
period, that Erasmus attributes to this circumstance the great preva- 
lence of contagious disorders in England. 

8. An Earl of Northumberland, who lived in the reign of Henry 
VII., wrote a book of directions for the management of his household. 
This is still preserved, and is called the Northumberland Household 
Book. In it the earl enters into the most minute particulars. 

9. He even directs the number of fagots to be allowed to each fire, 
and gives the items of what the men-servants w r ere to have for their 
breakfast, and the number of bones of mutton that were to be provided 
for his own. The family consisted of 166 persons, and the allowance 
of meat and drink was quite sufficient, but the stock of house-linen 
was surprisingly small. 

10. There were only eight table-cloths " for my lord's table," and 
one for the upper servants, which was washed once a month. The 
earl divided the year between three different houses, but he had fur- 
niture only for one ; so that, when he removed from one to another, 
all his household goods were removed also, even to the saucepans for 
the kitchen. 

11. Everything was packed upon seventeen carts and one wagon ; 
and this might well be sufficient, since one large table and three long 
benches constituted the whole of the furniture of the state apart- 
ment. 

12. A removal at the present day is apt to make sad work with the 
china and glass ; but there was no such danger in those days. 
Drinking glasses were not made in England till the time of Queen 
Mary, and were at first considered more precious than silver. As 
for looking-glasses, there were very few in use, and these were prob- 

were fans used for? 6, 7. Describe the dwellings of the nobles. 8 ; 9, 10, 11, 12. Relate 
some particulars of the mode of life. 



MORE ABOUT THE ENGLISH IN THE 16TH CENTURY. 



255 



ably very small, and commonly carried by the ladies in their pockets, 
or hung to their girdles. 



CHAPTER CXXXIX. 

More about the Manners of the English in the Sixteenth Cen 
tury. — About Commerce, — Disastrous Voyage of Sir Hugh 
Willoughby. 




Ships of the Sixteenth Century. 



1. The following amusing account of the manners of the English 
is written by a French priest, who visited England in the reign of 
Edward VI. We will give his own words : " The people of this 
country have a mortal aversion to the French, and in common call us 
France knave, or France dog. 

2. " The people of this land make good cheer, and dearly love 
junketing. The men are large, handsome, and ruddy, with flaxen 
hair. Their women are the greatest beauties in the world, and as 
fair as alabaster. The English in general are cheerful, and love 
music ; they are likewise great drunkards. 

3. "In this land they commonly make use of silver vessels when 
they drink wine. The servants wait on their masters bareheaded, 
and leave their caps on the buifet, (side-board.) It is noted that in 

CXXXIX. — 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Relate what the French traveller says of » he English in 



256 DISASTROUS FATE OF SIR HUGH WILLOUGHBY. — 1553. 

this excellent kingdom there is no kind of good order ; the people are 
reprobates, and thorough enemies of good manners. 

4. " In the windows of the houses are plenty of flowers, and at their 
taverns a plenty of rushes on their wooden floors, and many cushions 
of tapestry, on which travellers seat themselves. The English con- 
sume great quantities of beer ; the poor people drink out of wooden 
cups. They eat much whiter bread than is commonly made in 
France. 

5. " With their beer they have a custom of eating very soft saffron 
cakes, in which are likewise raisins. It is likewise to be noted that 
the servants carry pointed bucklers, even those of bishops. And the 
husbandmen, when they till the ground, commonly have their buck- 
lers, swords, and sometimes their bows, in one corner of the field." 

6. To this account we may add, that the cookery was distinguished 
for a profusion of hot spices ; and that, at entertainments, the rank of 
the guests was discriminated by their position above or below the salt 
cellar, which was placed invariably in the middle of the table. The 
chief servants always attended above the salt-cellar, below which the 
table was crowded with poor dependants, whom the guests despised, 
and the servants neglected. 

7. Before the Reformation, churchmen affected a greater state than 
the nobility. The Abbot of St. Albans dined alone at the middle of 
a table elevated fifteen steps above the floor of the hall, and the monks 
who served his dinner, at every fifth step performed a hymn. 

8. Commerce had heretofore been chiefly carried on by foreign 
merchants, who, from the place where they had been accustomed to 
transact their business, were called Merchants of the Steel Yard. 
But in the reign of Edward VI., many of the privileges of these mer- 
chants were taken from them, and the native English were encouraged 
to enter into trade. 

9. The discovery of America occasioned a greater demand foi 
ships, and an increase of commerce, which had never at any formei 
period flourished so much. There arose also an unusual demand for 
woollen cloths, which gave great encouragement to the English man- 
ufacturers, and first brought Wakefield and Leeds into notice as man- 
ufacturing towns. 

10. The spirit of enterprise which had distinguished the youth of 
Sebastian Cabot, was not wanting in his old age. In 1553, being 
the governor of the company of Merchant Adventurers, he fitted out 
an expedition, consisting of three vessels, under the command of Sir 
Hugh Willoughby, to attempt the discovery of a northeast passage 
to India. 

11. The fate of Sir Hugh, and the companies of two of the vessels, 
was most disastrous. Having put into a port of Lapland to winter, 
they were found there the next spring frozen to death. The third 
vessel, commanded by Richard Chancelor, was more fortunate, who, 
having wintered at Archangel, and opened an intercourse with Russia, 

Edward VI. 's time. 6. What of the cookery ? Of the entertainments ? 7. What of 
the pomp of the clergy ? 8. What of the state of trade ? 9. What occasioned a demand 
foi ships? 10, 11. What discovery was made? What new trade opened? 



CHARACTER OF QUEEN MARY. 



257 



reached home in safety. A company was formed to trade with 
Russia, of which Cabot was appointed governor for life. 



CHAPTER CXL. 

Queen Mary. — She restores the Popish Religion. — Persecu- 
tion of Cranmer. — Marriage of the Queen. — Rebellion in 
consequence of it. — Execution of Lady Jane Grey. 




Death of Lady Jane Grey. 

1. Mary was in her 37th year at the time of her brother's deatn. 
She possessed few qualities either estimable or amiable ; and her per- 
son was as little engaging- as her behavior and address. She inherited 
her mother's gravity with her father's violence and obstinate temper ; 
the natural sourness of which had been increased by the early morti- 
fications to which she had been subjected. 

2. Her education had been almost entirely neglected. During her 
father's life she had lived for the most part in a species of confinement ; 
and though more at liberty during the reign of her brother, still she 



CXL. — 1.2. What of Mary ? 3. What was her first act ? 4. What did she do in 

17 



258 RESTORATION OF THE POPISH RELIGION. — 1553. 

led a dull and secluded life ; and the great affection and constant 
intercourse which subsisted between Edward and Elizabeth must 
have been a renewed source of unhappiness to her. 

3. The first act of her reign led the people to hope that they had 
been deceived in her character. She restored to liberty the old Duke 
of Norfolk, who had languished in prison, with his unexecuted sen- 
tence hanging over his head, ever since the death of Henry VIII. 
She also exhibited moderation in the punishment of the supporters of 
Lady Jane Grey. Northumberland was the only man of rank who 
suffered death. Lady Jane and her husband were condemned to 
death, but on account of their youth and innocence they were not 
executed, but kept in prison. 

4. The next act of the queen was to reinstate Gardiner, Bonner, 
and Tonstall in their several bishoprics,' of which they had been 
deprived in the last reign. With their assistance she hastened to 
overturn the fabric of the Reformation, and to restore the old religion, 
and to replace everything on its old footing. 

5. The pope made some difficulty about receiving within the pale 
of the church such a country of heretics as England ; but this was at 
jength overcome, and Cardinal de la Pole was appointed legate, or 
the pope's representative, in England. But though Mary could re- 
store the rites and ceremonies of the Romish church, she found it 

'impossible to recover to their former uses the lands and buildings of 
the religious houses. 

6. Seeing the storm that was approaching, the foreign Protestants 
hastily left England, and the country thus lost the services of some of 
the most skilful artisans and mechanics. Many English gentlemen 
also left the country. Cranmer was advised to fly ; but he said he 
had been too much concerned in every measure of the Reformation to 
desert its cause. 

7. The queen had early marked him for destruction. She was 
not of a temper to forget an injury, and hated him for the share he 
had had in her mother's divorce ; which the many good offices he had 
done to herself could never atone for in her eyes. Many times, as 
she well knew, the good archbishop had stood between her and her 
father's wrath. 

8. Upon one occasion Henry had determined on her death, and was 
only prevented by Cranmer's remonstrances from putting his purpose 
in execution, while the time-serving Gardiner stood by without utter- 
ing a word in her behalf. But all these things were forgotten, and 
Cranmer was imprisoned in the common gaol at Oxford. 

9. His life was spared for the present by the intervention of Gardi- 
ner, who knew that the queen intended, on Cranmer's death, to give 
the archbishopric to Cardinal de la Pole, a man whom he hated, be- 
cause his mild and benignant disposition led him constantly to oppose 
his own violent and sanguinary counsels. 

10 The queen now turned her thoughts upon marriage. The 
engaging person and address of the young Courtenay, Earl of Devon- 
regard to religion? 5. "What of the pope ? 6. What did the Protestants do? 7. What 
of Cranmer? How had he deserved well of Mary? 9. Why was his life spared? 



EXECUTION OF LADY JANE GREY. — 1554. 259 

shire, a son of the Marquis of Exeter, had made an impression on her 
heart, of which he received many intimations. But the nobleman 
neglected these overtures, and seemed rather to attach himself to the 
Princess Elizabeth, whose youth and agreeable conversation he pre- 
ferred to all the power and grandeur of her sister. 

11. The ancient quarrel between their mothers had sunk deep into 
the indignant heart of Mary ; the attachment of Elizabeth to the 
reformed religion offended her bigotry ; but when she found that her 
sister had obstructed her views in a point which, perhaps, touched 
her still more nearly, her resentment knew no bounds ; and the 
princess was visibly exposed to the greatest danger. 

12. Courtenay's place in the queen's affection was soon supplied ; 
for, in 1554, she accepted proposals made to her. by the Emperor 
Charles V. for a marriage with his only son, Philip. The match was 
exceedingly disliked by the English, who were well aware of Philip's 
cruelty and sullenness of temper. 

13. Although it was agreed that neither Philip nor any foreigner 
should have any share in the government, still so great an alarm was 
excited that a formidable insurrection broke out in Kent, which was 
headed by Sir Thomas Wyatt, who, having travelled in Spain, 
brought home such an account of Philip, as added to the previous 
horror entertained of him. 

14. The avowed object of the rebels was to dethrone Mary, and 
place Lady Jane Grey on the throne ; but the want of an efficient 
leader rendered the project abortive. The rebels dispersed of their 
own accord, and Wyatt and 400 more were taken and executed. 
Soon afterwards Lady Jane Grey, whose fate it was always to suffer 
for the faults of others, was w r arned to prepare for death. 

15. Her constancy to the reformed religion could not be shaken, 
and she employed a portion of the little time left her in writing in 
Greek a farewell letter to her sister, exhorting her to be firm in her 
faith. Lord Guilford Dudley was also condemned to die, and en- 
treated to have a parting interview ; but Jane refused, lest the afflic- 
tion of such a meeting should overcome their fortitude. " Their 
separation," she said, " would be only for a moment ; and they would 
soon rejoin each other in a scene where their affections would be for- 
ever united, and where nothing could have access to disturb their 
eternal happiness." 

16. She appeared on the scaffold with a serene countenance, and 
declared that she had greatly erred in not having more firmly refused 
the crown ; but that filial reverence, and not her own ambition, had 
been the cause of her fault. Her father was beheaded soon after, and 
the queen became so suspicious that the prisons were filled with nobles 
and gentlemen. 

17. Mary now sent a fleet to escort Philip to England ; out the 
admiral informed her that he dared not receive him on board, lest the 
soldiers should commit some violence against him. Such was the 
detestation in which he was held. At last he arrived in a vessel of 

12. Whom did the queen marry 1 How did the English like the match ? 11. What was 
the consequence 1 15, 16. Relate the remaining particulars of Lady Jane Grey's life 



260 



PERSECUTION OF THE PROTESTANTS. — 1555. 



his own, and the marriage was celebrated at Westminster in July 
1554. 



CHAPTER CXLI. 

Persecution of the Protestants. — Martyrdom of Latimer 
Ridley and Hooper. — Death of Gardiner. — Martyrdom 
of Cranmer. 




^///!tNUypu L Vi 

Burning of Ridley and Latimer. 

1. From this time the chief business of parliament was to guard 
ajjainst the encroachments of Philip ; while Mary's only anxiety was 
to increase the power and influence of a husband on whom she doated 
with a troublesome fondness, though he, on his part, could with diffi- 
culty conceal his own dislike to his unengaging partner. 

2. On one subject, however, they were perfectly agreed, and that 
was the desire to extirpate heresy, even by the most violent and san- 
guinary measures. Gardiner entered fully into their views, but find- 
ing this work of cruelty more arduous than he had expected, he turned 
it over to Bonner, a man of such inhumanity of nature, that he even 
delighted to see the dying agonies of the sufferers, and would often 
take upon himself the office of executioner. 

CXLI. — 1. What were the respective feelings of Philip and Mary for one another? 



MARTYRDOM OF RIDLEY AND LATIMER. — 1555. 261 

3. In the course of the next three years, nearly 300 persons were 
burned alive, martyrs to their religion. Latimer and Ridley were 
among the first who suffered. Such was the inveteracy of Gardiner 
against these two venerable and pious men, that, on the day of their 
death, he made a vow that he would not dine until he received infor- 
mation that fire was set to the fagots with which they were to be 
burned. 

4. Though the messenger did not arrive so soon as he expected, 
Gardiner would not break his vow, but kept the old Duke of Norfolk, 
who was that day his guest, waiting from eleven (the then usual 
dinner hour) till three o'clock. But when the desired intelligence 
arrived, and dinner was served up, Gardiner did not partake of it ; 
for he was taken suddenly ill, and carried to his bed. from which he 
never rose. 

5. Hooper, Bishop of Gloucester, was another of the martyrs. 
When he was tied to the stake, the queen's pardon was placed on a 
stool before him ; and if he would have recanted, he had but to stretch 
forth his hand to save his life ; but he would not purchase it at such a 
price. 

6. Gardiner's death hastened that of Cranmer. No opposition was 
now made to the queen's wish that he should be put to death, and he 
was condemned to be burned at Oxford. But the queen's resentment 
went further ; she wished to degrade him in the eyes of the whole 
world, and employed people to persuade him that his life was so val- 
uable to his country that he ought to save it by any means. 

7. They were also authorized to promise him a pardon if he would 
recant — a promise, however, which Mary never meant to keep. In 
a moment of weakness Cranmer signed a paper, expressing his belief 
in the popish doctrines ; but Mary sent him word that this was not 
sufficient, and that he must acknowledge his errors in the church, 
before the people. 

8. The strength of Cranmer's mind now returned ; and when he 
was brought forth to make his public recantition, instead of doing so 
he bitterly bewailed his weakness, and asserted his firm belief in the 
Protestant faith. He was, therefore, immediately led forth to execu- 
tion. 

9. When the fagots were on fire, he stretched out his right hand 
with which he had signed the paper, and held it in the flames till it 
was consumed, saying frequentlv " This hand has offended ;" then, 
as if his mind was more at ease tor having made this atonement, his 
countenance became full of peaceful serenity, and he appeared insensi- 
ble to all worldly suffering. The next day Cardinal de la Pole was 
made Archbishop of Canterbury, and he showed so much lenity to- 
wards the Protestants as to excite the displeasure of the pope. 

2. In what did they agree ? By whom seconded ? 3 Who were among the first mar 
tyrs? Relate the particulars of Gardiner's death. 5. What of Hooper's death? 7 
What instance of Cranmer's weakness? 8, 9. How did he atone for it? 



262 BATTLE OF ST. QUENTIN. — 1557. 



CHAPTER CXLII. 

Philip leaves England. — War with France. — Arbitrary 
Mode of raising Money. — Battle of St. Quentin. — The 
English lose Calais. — Death of Mary. 

1. Philip soon became weary of England, and went to Flanders ; 
and the queen seeing - herself treated with indifference and neglect, 
spent her time in lamentations, and in writing- long letters to him, 
which he never condescended to answer, perhaps never to read. The 
more he slighted her the more she doated on him ; and to procure 
money, in the hope of winning him back, she loaded the people with 
taxes. 

2. In 1556, the Emperor Charles V., wearied with the cares of 
royalty, took the extraordinary resolution of resigning all his domin- 
ions to his son Philip, and of passing the remainder of his days in a 
monastery. Philip, who had the ambition but not the talents of his 
father, immediately declared war against France. 

3. The queen could not prevail upon her council to give their 
consent to join in it. When Philip, however, came to London, and 
protested that he would never set foot again in England, unless war 
was declared against France, the queen, almost frantic, pressed the 
matter so urgently as to overcome the reluctance of the council. 

4. War was declared ; but Mary's resources were already ex- 
hausted in furnishing Philip with money ; and she was obliged to 
resort to the most unjust measures to extort the means of fitting out 
a fleet and raising an army. To deter the people from rising in 
rebellion, she caused many of the most considerable gentry to be im- 
prisoned, and adopted the Spanish custom of having them seized in the 
night, and carried off hoodwinked, that they might not be known, nor 
see to what place they were conducted. 

5. The army took part in the battle of St. Quentin, in which 
Philip gained a complete victory over the French. But Mary's tri- 
umph at this success was of but short duration. Though everything 
else in France had been lost to the English, they had still preserved 
Calais, which had been guarded as the chief jewel of the crown by 
every sovereign, since Edward TIL, who obtained it. 

6. It had been strongly fortified, and so well garrisoned, that the 
French had never attempted to recover it. But in Mary's feeble 
reign the monks and bigots who composed her ministry thought more 
of burning heretics than of any other concern of state. They had 
neglected to keep the fortifications in repair, and to save the charge 
of what they supposed an unnecessary garrison, withdrew the greater 
part of it during the winter months. 

7 The Duke of Guise being well informed of all this, determined 
to attempt the recovery of the town. He accordingly appeared un- 

CXLII. — 1. How did Philip treat Mary ? 2. When did Philip become King of Spain 1 
What measure did he adopt? 3. What did Mary do in consequence ? How did she 
raise money? 5. What victory was gained? What loss did the country sustain? 



DEATH OF MARY. — 1558. 263 

cxpectedly before it, and after a siege of eight days, made himself 
master of a fortress which had been deemed impregnable, and had 
been for two hundred years a thorn in the side of France. 

8. The news of this event struck a universal dismay throughout 
England, and the queen declared that, when she died, the word Calais 
would be found engraved upon her heart. In fact, her health declined 
visibly from this time. She dragged on a few miserable months, and 
died Nov. 17, 1558, in the 43d year of her age, and the sixth of her 
reign. 

9. Thus ended the life of this unhappy woman, who, by the bad- 
ness of her temper, made herself, and everybody about her, miserable. 
The Cardinal de la Pole died on the same day with the queen, and 
left an unsullied name behind him. 

FAMILY OF MARY. 

HUSBAND. 

Philip, King of Spain, son of Charles V. 
She had no children. 



CHAPTER CXLIII. 

Elizabeth proclaimed Queen. — Her Character. — The Re- 
formed Faith restored. — Reforms in public Affairs. — Pros- 
perous State of the Kingdom. 

1. When Mary's death was announced to the parliament, which 
happened to be in session, the members all sprang from their seats ; 
and shouts of joy, and the words "God save Queen Elizabeth"' 
were heard to resound on every side. When the news spread abroad, 
the transport of the people was so great that they hurried in crowds 
to Hatfield, where Elizabeth was then residing, and escorted her in 
triumph to London. 

2. Elizabeth was now twenty-five years old. Her temper was 
very impetuous ; but there was a spirit and animation about her, with 
a cheerfulness and gayety of heart which made her occasional bursts 
of passion to be overlooked and forgiven. There had been no oppor- 
tunity for displaying that vanity and caprice, which, in her later 
years, made her both vexatious and ridiculous. 

3. She had a tall, commanding person ; her forehead was high 
and open, her nose aquiline, her complexion pale, and her hair inclin- 
ing to yellow. Her features were good, but the length and narrow- 
ness of her face prevented her from having any just pretensions to 
beauty. 

4. The new queen seemed anxious to forget her former sufferings, 
and never showed any resentment towards those who had been instru- 

Relate the particulars. 8. When did the queen die? In what year of her age? Of 
her reien ? 9. Who died on the same day ? 
CXLIII. — 1. With what feelings was the news of Mary's death received? 2. What 



264 ELIZABETH. - HER CHARACTER. — 1558. 

mental in inflicting them. Even Sir Richard Baneft Id, in whose 
custody she had been for a time, and whom she had iuund a most 
severe and churlish gaoler, experienced no other punishment or re- 
buke, but that of her telling him that he should have the custody of 
any state prisoner whom she wished to have treated with peculiar 
severity. 

5. The cruel Bonner was the only one of her sister's ministers to 
whom she showed any marked dislike. When he came to make 
his obeisance to her, she turned from him with horror, and would 
neither speak to him nor look at him. The first great anxiety of the 
Protestants was to have a settlement of the affairs of the church. 
Elizabeth proceeded with great prudence and caution, and soon re- 
stored the state of things which had existed at her brother's death, 
and all without one drop of blood being spilled, or a single estate con- 
fiscated . 

6. At the same time the queen was busily employed in arranging 
the other affairs of her kingdom. The coins, though nominally of 
the same value as heretofore, had been debased during the three last 
reigns, by an undue mixture of inferior metals. Elizabeth called in 
this base money, and issued coin of the standard value. She filled 
her arsenals with arms, and introduced the manufacture of gunpowder 
into England ; the militia were well disciplined ; and, in short, the 
country was put in a complete state of defence. 

7. She encouraged agriculture, trade and navigation, and increased 
her navy so much that she has been called " the queen of the northern 
seas." Her wise government was respected abroad and prosperous 
at home. She was extremely sagacious in the choice of ministers ; 
Lord Burleigh, her treasurer, and Walsingham, her secretary, were 
men of extraordinary abilities and integrity. 

8. While affairs were managed with so much vigor and success, 
the people were scarcely aware in how great a degree their sharp- 
witted queen kept enlarging her prerogatives, nor how much their 
liberties were infringed. In all cases in which her own authority was 
concerned, she was decided and peremptory ; and she had generally 
such good reasons to give for all she did, and was so frugal of ex- 
pense, that the mass of the people, though kept in great subjection, 
were enthusiastically fond of her. 

of the character of Elizaheth? 4. What of her person? 5. How did she treat her ene- 
mies ? What of the church? 6. What measure did she adopt in state affairs? 7 
What of her conduct in general ? Who were her chief ministers ? 8. What of the peo 
pie? 



A GLIMPSE AT THE COURT Of ELIZABETH. 26£) 



CHAPTER CXLIV. 

A Glimpse at the Interior of Elizabeth's Court. — Robert Dud- 
ley.— Many Suitors for the Queen's hand.— She aeclares 
that she zoill never marry. 

1. The interior of the court of Elizabeth presented a most extraor- 
dinary scene. The rivalries^ and jealousies of the courtiers, were a 
continual source of discord. The queen herself encouraged their 
rivalries in order to retain them in more subservience to herself ; and 
certainly the awe of her, which they seem to have felt, and the flat- 
tery they offered up to her, appear to us quite unaccountable and 
ridiculous. 

2. But though she liked and required adulation, she had too much 
sense to be wholly blinded by it. She saw the follies of those about 
her, and turned them to her own purpose, and seemed to manage her 
courtiers much like puppets, by wires that were out of sight. She 
entrusted all affairs of state to men of sense, but she filled^her court 
with frivolous characters, with whom she could unbend from the cares 
of royalty. 

3. Having a gay and lively disposition, she sometimes treated them 
with an extraordinary degree of familiarity, or, as it would appear to 
us, strange rudeness, such as slapping them on their back, and pattino- 
their cheeks. But if any of them presumed upon this freedom, she 
could instantly resume her dignity, and by a severe look, or a cutting 
word, check all further forwardness. 

4. She knew very well how to keep up her own dignity. One 
writer thus speaks of her : "She is the very image of majesty and 
magnificence." He goes on to say, "She is accustomed to march 
with leisure, and with a certain granditie rather than gravity, unless 
it be when she walketh apace for her pleasure, or to catch a heat in cold 
weather." 

5. Her chief favorite was Robert Dudley, whom she created Earl 
of Leicester. His handsome person and pleasing address gained for 
him the queen's favor, and his assiduous attentions, which were 
pleasing to her vanity, retained it for him. He was guilty of many 
infamous crimes, but he had the art of deceiving the queen, both as 
to his merits and his abilities, and continued in favor till his death, in 
1do8. 

6. As we may suppose, there were many suitors for the hand of 
Elizabeth. No sooner did Philip hear of Mary's death than he pro- 
posed himself in marriage to her successor. Elizabeth delayed givino- 
an answer as long as she could, and when she sent her refusal, she 
took the opportunity of declaring to her parliament a determination to 
lead a single life. 

7. Notwithstanding this declaration, she some time afterwards 
admitted the addresses of the Duke of Anjou, brother to the King of 

HXLI V. — 1. What of the state of Elizabeth's court ? 3. How did she treat her cour 
4fO 



266 



ELIZABETH'S COSTUME. 



France. After keeping him a long- time in suspense, she at last 
broke off the match, probably through fear of lessening her own au- 
thority, if she admitted another to share it. 

8. In the year 1563, Elizabeth caught the small-pox, and for some 
days ner life was considered to be in danger. Upon her recovery, 
the parliament besought her either to marry or to name her successor. 
Both these requests were very displeasing to Elizabeth. She gave 
them encouragement, however, that at some day or other she would 
marry. 

9. Immediately on this declaration she was beset with princely 
suitors ; but either from coquetry or policy, she always avoided, as 
long as possible, the giving a decisive answer, and kept all persons, 
both friends and enemies, in entire suspense as to her real intentions 



CHAPTER CXLV. 

Elizabeth's Costume. — The Queen of Scots. 




Portrait of Mary, Queen of Scots. 

1. The courtiers of Elizabeth would fain have persuaded her thai 
she was free from all the bad qualities, and above all the weaknesses 
incident to human nature ; but we, who are safe from her capricious 



Hers? 5. Who was her chief favorite? What of Robert Dudley? 6, 7. What suitors 
had she 1 What declaration did she make ? 8, 9. Did she modify this at all ? 



MARY, QUEEN OF SCOTS. — 1542— 1587. 26? 

and vindictive temper, may venture to declare that she possessed some 
of them in no ordinary degree. 

2. Her excessive personal vanity led her to encourage painting, 
because she was never tired of seeing portraits of herself. A pale 
Roman nose, a head of hair loaded with pearls, and powdered with 
diamonds, a large ruff, and a still larger fardingale, are the features 
by which we may recognize Elizabeth. 

3. This was, perhaps, a harmless exhibition of vanity, but the 
weakness, with the consequent jealousy, led her to the commission of 
a crime which has left an indelible stain on her character. This was 
her savage treatment, and murder, under the forms of law, of the 
beautiful and unfortunate Mary, Queen of Scots. 

4. The princess, at this age of sixteen, was married to the dauphin, 
afterwards King of France, by the title of Francis II. The exquisite 
beauty and graceful manners of Mary, gained for her unbounded influ- 
ence over her husband, to the great disappointment of her ambitious 
and wicked mother-in-law, Catharine de Medicis, who aspired to 
rule. 

5. For seventeen months Mary presided over the most brilliant and 
polished court in Europe, and entered eagerly into all its amusements. 
At the end of that period the death of her husband put an end to her 
happiness. Although she was now subjected to all the mortifications 
that the malice of Catharine could invent, she yet lingered in France ; 
her attachment to that country and her early associations making her 
reluctant to return to her native country. 

6. At length the impatience and clamors of her subjects compelled 
her to return. VV T hen she was in the ship that was to carry her over, 
she fixed her eyes on the coast of her beloved France till the darkness 
of evening would not allow her to see it any longer. She then had a 
couch brought on deck, on which she lay down to sleep, giving orders 
that if, on the return of daylight, the French coast should be still in 
sight, she should be awakened. 

7. During the night the vessel made little progress, so that in the 
morning she had another parting view of the country which she loved 
so well. Her regret at leaving it she expressed in some pathetic 
French verses, very expressive of her feelings at the time. The con- 
trast between the country she left, and that which she now came to 
inherit, increased her melancholy, and the rude and savage manners 
of the Scots filled her with disgust. 

8. This disgust was increased by difference of religion. Mary had 
been brought up a strict Catholic ; and the Reformation, which had 
now made great progress in Scotland, was not marked there with the 
same mild spirit which had distinguished it in England. The Scotch 
reformers were men of rigid zeal, and were shocked at the gayety and 
amusement so becoming and natural in a girl of nineteen. 

9. Though Elizabeth was much superior to Mary in political abil 

CXLV. — 1. 2. What evidence of weakness in Elizabeth? 3. What crime did her van- 
ity lead her to commit ? 4, 5. What of Mary Queen of Scots - ' life in France'/ 6. Why 
did she return to Scotland? What were her feelings at leaving France? 7. How did 
she express thorn ? How did she feel after her arrival in Scotland ? 8. What increased 
her disgust? What of the Refurmafion in Scotland? 9. What were Elizabe'h's feel 



268 MARY, QUEEN OF SCOTS. — 1542-1587. 

ities as she was inferior to her in beauty and gracefulness of person, 
she was weak enough to envy and hate her as a rival by whom she 
was eclipsed. This hatred was increased by the fear of Mary's pre- 
tensions to the crown of England, which were founded upon Henry 
VIII.'s declaration of her own incapacity to inherit it. 

10. Mary had never attempted to enforce these pretensions ; on the 
contrary, contenting herself with her undoubted right to succeed upon 
the death of Elizabeth, she affected to treat that princess with the 
greatest respect. Both queens, indeed, pretended extraordinary re- 
gard for one another, and styled themselves, in their letters, " loving 
sister." But Elizabeth was all the while secretly exciting the Scots 
to rebellion. 



CHAPTER CXLVI. 

ConWiuation of the Story of Mary. 

1. Mary, having been urged by her council to a second marriage, 
paid Elizabeth the compliment to apply to her to choose a suitable 
match for her. Elizabeth's wish Mas that her " loving sister" should 
remain a widow. Indeed, it was one of the weaknesses of this great 
queen to have the utmost dislike of any person's marrying; and she 
plagued and persecuted many of her own subjects, for no other reason 
than because they did not choose to live single like herself. 

2. Having proposed two or three matches for Mary, which she 
knew she would not accept, she pretended to be exceedingly dis- 
pleased with her when she at last chose for herself, and married her 
cousin, Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley. He was the grandson of Mar- 
garet, sister to Henry VIII. , and her second husband, Lord Angus. 

3. Darnley was a papist, and on that account the marriage was 
opposed by the reformers, at the head of whom was John Knox, who 
gave just cause of offence to the queen, by the violence with which he 
inveighed against it at a personal interview. It would have been for- 
tunate for Mary, had she listened to the remonstrants. She had been 
captivated by the beauty and exterior accomplishments of Darnley, and 
quite overlooked the qualities of his mind. 

4. These by no means corresponded with the excellence of his out- 
side figure. He was violent, fickle, insolent, and ungrateful, and 
soon came to treat his wife with great indifference and neglect. This 
conduct deprived him of that influence over her, which, in the early 
period of their marriage, had made him the source from whence 
flowed all honors and preferments, and which had gained for himself 
the title of king. 

ings towards Mary ? What increased Elizabeth's hatred ? 10. How did they publicly 
•xeat each other? 

CXLVI. — 1. What compliment did Mary pay to Elizabeth? What were Elizabeth's 
wishes about Mary's marrying? What her feelings about marriage in general? 2. 
Whom did Mary marry ? 3. Why was the marriage opposed ? 4. What of Darnley '' 



MARY, QUEEN OF SCOTS. — 1542 — lbb . 2G9 

5. This change in the queen he imputed to the influence of some 
of those about her, and sought for an object on whom to wreak his 
vengeance. There was in the court an Italian musician, named DavjJ 
Rizzio, who had lately acquired a great degree of confidence and favor 
with the queen, and had been made her secretary. Those who were 
themselves envious of Rizzio's fortune, found no difficulty in exciting 
the jealousy of Darnley. 

6. One evening, when the queen was at supper with the secretary 
and some of the ladies of her court, Darnley, with a company of armed 
nobles, rushed into the room, and one of them, reaching over the 
queen's shoulder, stabbed Rizzio, as he clung to her garments for pro- 
tection. 

7. Some time afterwards the king was taken sick, when, to the sur- 
prise of every one, the queen paid him a visit, and took him with her 
to her palace of Holyrood House, and was to all appearance reconciled 
to him. The position of this palace in the city of Edinburgh, and upon 
low ground, and the noise of the court, furnished reasons for removing 
the king to a house in a more airy and retired situation. The queen 
accompanied him, and for several days attended upon him with every 
appearance of regard. 

8. The marriage of one of her women, which was to be celebrated 
in her presence, obliged the queen to pass the night of the 9th of Feb- 
ruary, 1567, at her palace. About two o'clock on the morning of the 
10th, the whole town was aroused by a great noise at the king's 
house, which was blown up by gunpowder. The king's lifeless body 
was found at some distance. 



CHAPTER CXLVII. 

Continuation of the Story of Mary. — She seeks a Refuge in 
England from her rebellious Subjects. 

1. There could be no doubt that the king's death was produced by 
design ; and public opinion at once fixed on the Earl of Bothwell as 
his murderer. The earl was a man of considerable abilities and of 
boundless ambition, which, unrestrained by any religious or moral 
principles, would not scruple at the commission of any crime for its 
gratification. 

2. He was one of the handsomest men of the age, and the courtesy 
of his manners contrasted favorably with the rude and savage demeanor 
of the majority of the Scotch nobles. Being in the palace at the time 
of Rizzio's murder, he had hastened to the assistance of the queen, 
and this service, with his constant deference and assiduity, gained foi 
him her favor. 

5. Upon whom did Parnley take veneeance ? 7. What was Mary's subsequent treat 
menl '»f Darnley ? 8. Kelate the particulars Of his death. 
CXLVII. — 1. Upon whom did the public charge the murder of Darnley ? 2. Whatc 

23* 



% 270 MARY SEEKS A REFUGE IN ENGLAND. — 1563. 

3. The influence which he soon acquired over her, led him to b<3- 
lieve that the king- was the only impediment to his arriving at the 
highest office. We have just stated the mode in which this impedi- 
ment was removed. Bothwell was tried for the murder of the king 
and acquitted ; for no one dared to appear as witness against a man 
of his influence, and who came to the place of trial attended, not only 
by his own retainers and vassals, but by a body of hired soldiers. 

4. BothwelFs next step was even more bold ; accompanied by a 
thousand armed men, he attacked the queen as she journeyed upon the 
road, and, dispersing her escort, carried her a prisoner to Dunbar. 
Although this was done apparently by violence, there were many who 
believed that the queen was a willing prisoner ; for, so far from resent- 
ing the outrage, she not long after gave her hand in marriage to the 
offender. The reformers had uniformly maintained that the murder 
of Darnley had been committed with the previous knowledge and con- 
sent of the queen ; her marriage with his murderer seemed to justify 
and confirm this opinion. 

5. The question of her guilt or innocence has been sharply con- 
tested from that day to this. We have not space to detail the argu- 
ments on both sides. The facts adduced against her may, perhaps, 
be reconciled with her innocence. She was thoughtless and impru- 
dent, and her education at the court of France was not favorable to 
the growth of religious principles ; but there was nothing in her dis- 
position which can make us suppose her capable of so monstrous a 
crime. 

6. Although a large portion of the nobles of all parties, and of 
both religions, had in writing requested the queen to marry Bothwell, 
yet nearly the whole country now rose in arms against her. She was 
taken by her enemies and imprisoned at Lochlevin Castle, where she 
was compelled to sign a resignation of her kingdom to her infant son, 
who was accordingly crowned by the title of James VI. The Earl of 
Murray, a half brother of Mary, was made regent of the kingdom. 

7. Bothwell meantime had fled from the country ; and after leading 
a wandering and wretched life, supporting himself by piracy, he was 
at last thrown into prison in Denmark. He fell into a state of insan- 
ity, and lingered ten miserable years in that condition. 

8. Through the romantic attachment of George Douglas, brother 
to the Lord of Lochlevin, Mary made her escape, and, raising an army, 
encountered Murray at Langside ; but her troops were completely de- 
feated ; and she, having watched the battle from a neighboring emi- 
nence, fled from the field, and never paused till she gained the banks 
of a little river, which divides England from Scotland. 

9. Here the Bishop of St. Andrews, who had accompanied her 
flight, caught hold of the bridle of her horse, and on his knees 
besought her to return back ; but she preferring to trust to Elizabeth's 
generosity, rather than again encounter the insults of her own sub- 
jects, rushed through the stream to the other side. She sent forward 

Bothwell? 3. To what did Bothwell aspire? 4. What step did he take to accomplish 
his object? 6. What was the consequence of the queen's marrying him ? 7. What be- 
came of Bothwell .' 8. What followed Mary's escape from imprisonment? 9. Relate 
what happened to her after the defeat of her troops. 



ELIZABETH DETAINS MARY A PRISONER.— 1568. 271 

a messenger with a letter informing- Elizabeth of the step she had 
taken, and herself proceeded to Carlisle to await the answer. 

10. A contemporary letter-writer tells us, " There are six waiting- 
gentlewomen with her, although none of account except Mrs. Marv 
Seaton, who is praised as being the best busker (dresser) of a 
woman's head, that is to be seen in any country. Whereof we have 
seen divers experiences since her coming hither ; and, amongst other 
pretty devices, yesterday she did set such a curled hair upon the 
queen, that was said to be a periwig, and that showed very deli- 
cately." 



CHAPTER CXLVIII. 

Elizaheth detains Mary as a Prisoner.' — Plans for her Rescue. 
— The Duke of Norfolk is detected in such a Project, and 
executed. 

1. Whatever Elizabeth's thoughts were on receiving Mary's 
letter, she concealed them with great dissimulation, and, pretending 
the utmost friendship for that unhappy queen, declared that before she 
could be received at the English court, it was necessary for Mary's 
honor, and her own satisfaction, that she should be cleared of the 
heavy charges made against her. Lady Scrope was sent under pre- 
tence of attending on her, but in reality to detain her in a sort of im- 
prisonment. 

2. Mary agreed to submit the matters in dispute between herself 
and her subjects to Elizabeth, who appointed commissioners to hear 
the parties. Mary appeared by representatives, and Murray attended 
in person. After a tedious succession of protestations and letters, in 
which both parties acted with great duplicity, and seemed equally 
afraid of arriving at the truth, the conferences ended without any defi- 
nite result. 

3. Elizabeth now declared that as Mary w r as by no means cleared 
by the investigation, she was herself justified not only in refusing to 
see her, but even in detaining her a prisoner ; and she now placed her 
in the custody of the Earl of Shrewsbury. At first Mary was allowed 
to receive visitors, and her eloquence convinced every one who con- 
versed with her of her innocence, however they might have been pre- 
possessed with an opinion of her guilt. 

4. The papists, too, all took her part, believing that Elizabeth's 
jealousy towards her was partly on account of her religion. Elizabeth 
soon had reason to repent of her crooked policy in detaining Mary, for 
she was subjected to a succession of alarms of insurrection and assas 
sination. She took advantage of one of the earliest attempts atrebel- 

CXLVIII. — 1. What reply did Elizaheth make to Mary's letter? 2. What <li<l Mary 
agree to ? What was the result.' 3. What treatment did she afterwards receive'.' 4. 



272 PLANS FOR MARY'S RESCUE. — 1571. 

Hon to subject Mary to more rigid confinement and to forbid her hav- 
ing any intercourse with persons not of Lord Shrewsbury's family. 

5. It was very easy to forbid, but more difficult to prevent, foi 
Mary and her friends were ever on the alert. But Elizabeth's minis- 
ters were likewise vigilant; for Lord Burleigh, in one of his letters, 
desires Lord Shrewsbury "to be on the watch for a boy who was 
bringing letters from Scotland for Mary," adding, that " he might be 
known by a cut on his left cheek, and that the letters were sewed up 
in the seams and buttons of his coat." 

6. Indeed, Shrewsbury was hardly less a prisoner than the queen ; 
being never permitted to leave his own house, nor to invite any of his 
friends to come to see him. He was even severely reprimanded as 
having neglected his charge by taking a little ride one day for exer 
cise ; and Elizabeth was constantly tormenting him by her suspicions 
of his being too indulgent. 

7. The immense wealth and the splendor of the family of the Duke 
of Norfolk rendered him, beyond all question, the second person in 
the kingdom, and the qualities of his mind well corresponded with his 
high station. He enjoyed the good opinion of both the religious^ par 
ties, and was equally in favor with the queen and the people. 

8. He entered heartily into the cause of the Queen of Scots, and 
carried on a correspondence with her, though so secretly that even 
the vigilant Burleigh did not for some time discover it. At last, in 

1571, Mary, wishing to send some money to her friends in Scotland, 
Barrister, a confidential servant of the duke, was the person fixed on 
to take it. 

9. The money, and a letter which was to accompany it, was sent 
to Barrister by a person not in the secret ; and he, perceiving that 
there was some mystery, took the letter to Lord Burleigh, who thus 
discovered that the duke was conspiring with Mary to dethrone Eliza 
beth. Norfolk was brought to trial, and, believing that some papers 
had been destroyed which he had ordered his secretary to burn, denied 
being concerned in the plot. 

10. But these papers, instead of being destroyed, had been hid by 
the secretary beneath the mats in the duke's chamber, and under the 
tiles of the house, and were produced at his trial to prove his guilt. 
He was condemned to death, and the sentence was executed June 2d, 

1572. Elizabeth declared, with what sincerity we cannot say, that 
she could have forgiven him, if, instead of denying his guilt, he had 
made a free confession. 

What was a consequence of Elizabeth's crooked policy? 5. What severe measures did 
she adopt towards Mary ? 7. What of the Duke of Norfolk? 8. Of his correspondence 
with Mary? How was it discovered by Burleigh? 10. What became of Norfolk ? 



PLOT TO ASSASSINATE ELIZABETH. — 15S6. 273 



CHAPTER CXLIX. 

A new Plot in favor of Mary is detected, and the Conspirators 
punished. — Mary is put to Death by order of Elizabeth. 

1. Mary passed sixteen weary years in the custody of the Earl of 
Shrewsbury, at the end of which time Elizabeth, thinking him too 
indulgent, relieved him of his onerous charge. During this long pe- 
riod, Mary had never ceased plotting to recover her liberty. 

2. The papists, who hoped through her means to reestablish their 
religion in England, formed, in 1586, a plot to assassinate Elizabeth, 
and to place Mary on the throne. The arrangements were made 
known to Mary by means of letters conveyed to her through a chink 
in the wall ; and her answers, expressing her approbation, were re- 
turned in the same way. 

3. But with all their secrecy the plotters could not escape the vig- 
ilance of the ministers. Indeed, the man who carried the letters was 
a spy of the government, and constantly brought them to Walsing- 
ham, one of Elizabeth's secretaries of state, to read. They were then 
re-seaied, and taken to the persons they were meant for, who did not 
discover the treachery of their messenger. 

4. When Walsingham had obtained the information he wanted he 
thought it time to secure the conspirators ; fourteen of whom were 
condemned and executed, before Mary had any idea that the plot was 
discovered. One day, as she was taking the air on horseback, she 
was met by a messenger from Elizabeth, who informed her of the 
death of her friends, and that she must set off instantly, without re- 
turning to the house, or making any preparations, for Fotheringay 
Castle, in Northamptonshire. 

5. Commissioners soon made their appearance to try her for the 
part she had taken in the late conspiracy. That she had assented to 
it, was clearly proved, and, on the 25th of October, 1586, sentence of 
death was pronounced upon her. The news* of this procedure excited 
the utmost astonishment in other countries. 

6. The young King of Scotland sent an urgent remonstrance to 
Elizabeth, on her unjustifiable conduct towards his mother. Whether 
he was sincere in this, has been doubted ; he had been brought up by 
the Scottish reformers, and had been taught from his infancy to con- 
sider her a very wicked woman. It is certain that one of his ambas- 
sadors secretly advised Elizabeth not to spare Mary. 

7. Elizabeth affected the utmost reluctance to execute the sentence, 
and some of her courtiers thought her sighs and tears were those of 
sincere regret. At length, after some months of duplicity and appar- 
ent indecision, she signed the death-warrant, or order for Mary's 
death. But when she found it had been despatched to Fotheringay, 

CXLIX. — 1. How long did Mary remain in Shrewsbury's charge? 2. By whom was 
a new plot formed? 8. How detected? 4. What was the result? 5. What was the 
consequence to Mary ? What effect did the news of her condemnation pioduce? 6 
What did Mary's son do? 7. What appearance did Elizabeth assume? What artifica 

18 



274 CONDEMNATION AND DEATH OF MARY. — 1587. 

she expressed the most violent displeasure at the hasty ofTiciousness 
of her servants, in hopes, by such an artifice, to transfer to them the 
blame of Mary's death. 

8. On the 6th of February, 1587, the warrant was brought to Foth- 
eringay by the Earls of Shrewsbury and Kent, who informed Mary 
that she must prepare for death the next morning. She received their 
message with composure, and employed herself during the rest of the 
day in writing letters, in dividing the few valuables she had among 
her attendants, and taking leave of them. 

9. She retired to rest at her usual time, but arose after a few 
hours' sleep, and spent the rest of the night in prayer. The follow- 
ing Latin petition was composed by her at this time : 

O Domine Deus, speravi, in te ! 

O Care mi Jesu, nunc libera me ! 

In dura catena, in misera poena desidero te ! 

Languendo, gemendo, et genuflectendo, 

Adoro, imploro, ut liberes me ! 

10. Towards morning she attired herself in the only rich dress she 
had reserved — a black satin gown, trimmed with pearls and jet, over 
a crimson velvet petticoat. A white lawn veil was thrown over her 
head ; and when she was summoned to the hall where she was to die, 
she took a crucifix and prayer-book in her hand, and walked with a 
serene and composed countenance. She was met on the way by her 
faithful servant, Andrew Melvil, who flung himself on his knees be- 
fore her, and burst into an agony of grief. 

11. Mary endeavored to console him with the utmost firmness ; but, 
on charging him with her last message to her son, she melted into 
tears. She then entered the hall in which the scaffold had been raised, 
and saw, with an undismayed countenance, the two executioners stand- 
ing there, and all the preparations for her death. 

12. After some time spent in prayer, she began, with the aid of 
her women, to unrobe herself; and, seeing them ready to break forth 
into tears and lamentations, she made to them, by putting her finger 
to her lips, a sign to forbear. She then gave them her blessing; a 
handkerchief was bound round her eyes, and without any visible trep- 
idation she laid her head upon the block, and with two strokes it was 
severed from her body. 

13. There was at least one other servant who remained faithful to 
his mistress ; this was her favorite little dog, who had concealed itself 
among the folds of her dress, and could with difficulty be removed 
from her body. Thus perished this unfortunate princess, in the forty- 
fifth year of her age. She had been a queen almost from the hour 
of her birth. From the age of six to that of nineteen she had been 
trained to levity and dissipation in the French court. 

14. From her nineteenth to her twenty-seventh year she had lived 
in Scotland, in a succession of follies and sorrows, and in the midst of 
enemies. The remaining nineteen years of her life she had passed in 



•Jid she use 1 8. How was Mary affected by the arrival of the death warrant? 10. 1 1, 
J'2. Relate the particulars of her death. 13. How old was she'.' How had the different 



THE INVINCIBLE ARMADA. — 1 588. 



275 



a miserable captivity. But time and affliction had neither subdued 
her spirit, nor wholly destroyed that extraordinary beauty which had 
first excited the hatred of her more cool and politic rival. 

15. When the news of the execution was brought to Elizabeth, she 
thought it necessary to assume the appearance of excessive grief; she 
wore mourning, and for some days shut herself up with only her 
women. The King of Scotland expressed great resentment at the 
murder of his mother, and threatened Elizabeth with a war, but she 
found means to appease the indignation of a sovereign who was not 
of a very warlike disposition. 



CHAPTER CL. 

The Invincible Armada. — Elizabeth displays great Vigor, 
and her Subjects great Courage and Zeal. — The Spaniards 
entirely defeated. 




Defeat of the Spanish Armada. 

1. We have spent so much time in detailing the painful, yet inter- 
esting, story of Queen Mary, that we must pass rapidly over the rest 
of Elizabeth's reign. The Invincible Armada makes a considerable 
figure in history. This was a great fleet and army fitted out by Philip 
II., of Spain, with which he hoped to overwhelm Great Britain. 

2. Elizabeth could muster but a small naval force to withstand this 
imposing array ; but she was undismayed ; for she relied with confi- 
dence on the superior skill and bravery of her seamen and officers. 

periods of her life been spent? 15. How did Elizabeth behave after the death of 
Mary 1 
CL. — I. What was the Invincible Armada? 2. Who were the officers of the English 



276 DISPERSION OF THE ARMADA. —1588. 

Her fleet was commanded by Lord Howard, of Effing-ham. Undei 
him served Drake, Hawkins, and Frobisher, all of whom were much 
distinguished as naval commanders. 

3. The land forces, which were inferior in number and discipline 
to those of Philip, were posted wherever it was thought likely the 
Spaniards would land. The vigor and prudence exhibited by the 
queen inspired the people with courage. She appeared on horseback 
at the camp at Tilbury, where Leicester was in command, and riding 
through the ranks, roused, by an animated speech, the enthusiasm of 
the soldiers. 

4. Amongst other things she said to them, " I know 1 have the 
body of a weak and feeble woman, but 1 have the heart of a king, and 
of a king of England too ; and think proud scorn that Parma, or 
Spain, or any prince of Europe, should dare to invade the borders of 
my realms ; to which, rather than any dishonor shall grow by me, I 
will myself take up arms." 

5. The Armada, as it approached Lizard Point, was descried by a 
Scotch pirate, who was cruising in those seas, and he, hoisting every 
sail, hastened to give notice of the enemy's approach. The informa- 
tion was well-timed, for Effingham had just time to get out of port ; 
if he had been shut up there, his superior naval skill would have been 
useless, and his fleet would have been destroyed by the superior force 
of the enemy. 

6. He was hardly out before he saw the Invincible Armada coming 
full sail towards him in the form of a crescent, and stretching over a 
distance of seven miles. He soon perceived that the Spanish ships 
were ill-built and unmanageable, and his chief fear was, that these 
huge vessels might run upon, and, by their weight, sink his own. 

7. But their great size proved of advantage to him, for whilst the 
Spanish shot all passed over the heads of his people, his own had a 
large mark. In the mean time vessels poured forth from every Eng- 
lish port, and joining Effingham, hovered upon the skirts of the enemy, 
cutting off such ships as were so unlucky as to be separated from the 
rest. 

8. Vessels filled with combustibles were set fire to, and sent into 
the midst of the Spanish fleet, which dispersed in the utmost alarm. 
By this warfare the enemy was nearly disabled, while the English had 
lost only one small vessel ; and the Spanish commander determined to 
return home. 

9. The wind being contrary, he was obliged to sail to the north to 
make the circuit of Scotland ; but the English still pursued, and had 
their ammunition held out, would probably have taken every vessel. 
As it was, very few escaped, for the tempests lent their aid in the 
work of destruction. Those Spaniards who lived to return home, 
gave such accounts of the bravery of the English, and the tremendous 
dangers of their coasts, as effectually repressed all inclination to 
attempt another invasion. 

fleet? 3. What of the queen's conduct? 4. What did she say to the troops ? 5. Who 
gave information of the Spaniards' approach? Why was this information well-timed? 
6. What was Effingham's fear? 7. Why was the size of the Spanish ships of advantage 
to the English ? 8, 9. What became of the Spanish fleet ? 






SIR WALTER RALEIGH. 



277 



CHAPTER CLI. 

Sir Walter Raleigh. — Virginia settled. — About the Earl of 

Essex. 




Sir Walter Raleigh embarking for Virginia. 

1 Amongst those who fitted out ships at their own cost to oppose 
the Armada, was Sir Walter Raleigh, who was born in 1552, and 
after passing - through the university of Oxford with great reputation, 
volunteered as a soldier to assist the Protestants in France and the 
Netherlands. 

2. Here he made good use of his time in acquiring valuable knowl- 
edge, so that upon his return home, in 1578, he was considered as 
being in all respects one of the most accomplished gentlemen in Eng- 
land. His active mind would not let him be idle, so he engaged heart 
and hand in an expedition which his half-brother, Sir Humphrey Gil- 
bert, a distinguished commander, was fitting out to make discoveries 
in America. 

3. The expedition was very unfortunate, but Raleigh gained a 
knowledge of seamanship which made him afterwards one of the most 
skilful naval commanders. A man of his great abilities could not fail 
to gain the favor of the queen, but he recommended himself particu- 
larly by a little act of gallantry. 

4. As Elizabeth walked abroad one day, attended by some of the 

OL! — I, 2. What of Sir Walter Raleigh ? In what expedition did he enuaee wiih his 
half-brother? 3. Wiih what result? By what act did he gain the notice of the queoa] 
24 



278 THE EARL OF ESSEX 

courtiers, she chanced to arrive at a very muddy place, which sno 
could not cross without wetting her feet. Raleigh, without hesita- 
tion, took from his shoulder a new and very rich cloak, and spread it 
on the ground ; treading gently upon this, the queen passed over 
clean and dry. 

5. This attention fixed Raleigh in her good graces, and a wag re- 
marked that the sacrifice of a cloak obtained for him many a good suit. 
The great favor which he enjoyed at court enabled him to procure an 
extensive grant of lands in America, and in 1584 he sent out an expe- 
dition to make a settlement there. 

6. The first attempt was made on the coast of what, is now called 
North Carolina, in commemoration of which event the capital of that 
state is now called Raleigh. The ships brought back no gold or 
silver, which was the chief object of the adventurers, but were so well 
freighted with other merchandise, as to induce Raleigh to send out a 
second expedition the next year. A tract of country rather more to 
the north was taken possession of, and named, in honor of the maiden 
queen, Virginia. 

7. Leicester was alarmed at the progress which Raleigh made in 
the queen's favor, and brought forward, as a competitor, his own son- 
in-law, the Earl of Essex. This young nobleman possessed a noble 
and generous nature, and his lofty and impetuous spirit, which would 
not stoop to that mean subservience in which all others were held by 
the queen, quite won her heart. 

8. She permitted him to speak to her with more freedom than she 
would allow to any of her old and faithful servants. On one occasion 
he became so heated in an argument with her as entirely to forget the 
rules of good breeding, and turned his back upon her in a contemptu- 
ous manner. 

9. She took fire at this, and gave him a sound box on his ear, tell- 
ing him she would not bear his impertinence. Instead of apologizing 
for his affront, the impatient youth laid his hand on his sword, and 
declaring he would not bear such usage, withdrew from court. 

10. His friends endeavored to persuade him that a blow from a 
woman ought not to be resented ; but Essex said that the character 
of woman was sunk in that of sovereign, and would not make any ad- 
vances towards reconciliation. But the queen herself was too fond of 
him to bear his absence patiently ; the quarrel seemed to increase her 
affection, and he was recalled and enjoyed more than his former favor. 

5. What graul did he obtain ? 6. What colony did he attempt to found ? What colony- 
was afterwards established? Whence its name? 7. Who was brought forward as the 
rival of Raleigh? How did Essex win the queen's favor? 8. How did he treat her? 
9, 10. Relate an instance of his impetuosity. 



DRESS IN THE TIME OF ELIZABETH. — 1558 — 1603. 279 

CHAPTER CLII. 

The Fashions of Dress in the Time of Elizabeth. 

1. There was one striking - difference between Sir Walter Raleigh 
and the Earl of Essex. The former was minutely particular in his 
dress, whilst the latter, as his secretary, Sir Henry Wotton, tells us, 
was so little of a coxcomb in his attire, that he hardly knew what he 
had on. His dressing-room was filled with friends and suitors, to 
whom he gave his attention, while his servants put on his clothes, 
" with little care of his own." 

2. This is quite remarkable, for dress was then a matter of great 
importance. Even old Lord Shrewsbury directs some one in London 
to send him down some new clothes into Yorkshire, and desires the 
person " to talk with the tailor, and devise some new jerkin of thin 
pretty silk, or else one of perfumed leather, with satin sleeves, as the 
fashion is." 

3. The queen herself set the example of wearing costly apparel. 
Her conceit of her beauty, and her desire to make an impression on 
the hearts of beholders, made her fond of wearing a great variety 
of rich dresses. As she never gave any away, there were found in 
her wardrobes, at her death, above three thousand different habits. 

4. Of one of these dresses a foreigner has given us a description. 
" When I saw Elizabeth, she was in her 67th year, and had in her 
ears two pearls with very rich drops. She wore false red hair, and 
her bosom was uncovered. She was dressed in white silk, bordered 
with pearls of the size of beans, and over it a mantle of black silk, 
shot with silver threads, and instead of a chain, she had an oblong 
collar of gold and jewels. Wherever she turned her face, as she went 
along, every one fell down on his knees." 

5. He does not mention the perfumed gloves, ornamented with 
tufts of rose-colored silk, which were so much her delight that she 
would always be painted with a favorite pair — brought to her from 
Italy, by the Earl of Oxford. Nor does he speak of her silk stock- 
ings, which were then a great novelty. Mrs. Montague, her silk 
woman, having presented to her a pair of black silk hose, she de- 
clared she never would wear cloth ones again. 

6. But why not wear knit ones 1 Because the art of making them 
was almost unknown. One of Henry VIII. 's wives is said to have 
had a pair of knitted stockings, but all other people wore them of 
cloth, laced or buttoned tight to the leg. Towards the end of Eliza- 
beth's time, a man named Lee invented a machine for weaving stock- 
ings, and set it up with great success in a village near Nottingham ; 
but the stocking-knitters, fearing it would spoil their trade, drove him 
away. He retired to Paris, where he died of disappointment. His 
invention, however, did not die with him ; and it is a remarkable cir- 

CL1I. — 1. What difference in habits between Raleigh anil E.-=sex ? 2. Why remarka- 
ble in Essex? 3. What of the queen's loudness for dress 1 4. Give a description of her 



2S0 QUEEN ELIZABETH'S PKOGRESSES. 

cumstance that Nottingham should still be the principal place in Eng- 
land where the stocking manufacture is carried on. 

7. There were some curious fashions at this time. The fardingale, 
an enormous petticoat, was introduced from Spain. Ruffs, made of 
lawn and cambric, and well stiffened with yellow starch, reaching to the 
upper part of the head behind, were worn both by ladies and gentlemen. 

8. The size of these ruffs appears to have alarmed her majesty, for 
we are told that certain grave persons were appointed to stand at the 
gates of the city of London, for the purpose of cutting down every 
ruff that was more than a yard in depth. These ruffs gave great 
offence to a religious party called the Puritans, of whom we shall 
hear more presently. 

9. A writer of this sect, in a book called "The Anatomy of 
Abuses," thinks it a heinous addition to +he sinfulness of the ruff, that 
it was so " clogged" and '•'-pestered" with needlework. He tells us, 
also, that the lords of the court were very choice about their shirts, 
which were often made of cambric, with open-work down the seams, 
and sometimes cost fifty dollars each, which, he adds, " is horrible to 
think of." 



CHAPTER CLIII. 

Queen Elizabeth's Progresses. — Anecdote of Sir Thomas 
Gresham. — About Sir Philip Sydney. — Change in the 
Manners of the People. — Shakspeare's Plays. 

1. Queen Elizabeth was very fond of travelling about the country, 
or making progresses, as it was called, and visiting her wealthy sub- 
jects at their own houses. Upon such occasions great entertainments 
were given. The most celebrated was that at Kenilworth castle, 
provided by the Earl of Leicester. It lasted several days, and inven- 
tion was exhausted to furnish all sorts of diversion. 

2. There were stag huntings, and bull baitings, and pageants of 
every kind ; indeed, so numerous and magnificent were the shows, 
that the account of them fills quite a large volume. The queen did 
not confine her visits to the nobility. Sir Thomas Gresham, a rich 
London merchant, who erected, at his own cost, a building for an 
Exchange, had the honor of entertaining her at his magnificent house 
called Osterley. 

3. Elizabeth, after viewing the whole mansion, remarked as she 
was going to bed, "that it would have been much more handsome 
if the court-yard had been divided by a wall." Sir Thomas heard 
the remark, and instantly set to work such a number of masons and 
laborers, that when the queen arose in the morning, she found that a 
wall had risen, as if by magic, in answer to her wish. 

dress. 5, 6. What of the use of gloves and stockings? What of the manufacture of 
Blockings? 7. What droll fashions of dress ? 8.9. What of the ruff? 

CLI1I. — 1. What is said of Elizabeth's progresses ? 2. What of Leicester's entertain- 



CHANGE IN THE MANNERS OF THE PEOPLE. 



2S1 




Elizabeth in procession. 

4. Before we return to our general story, we must say something 
of Sir Philip Sydney, who was one of the great men of this reign, 
so prolific in genius and talent. He was a perfect model of what a 
true knight should be; — courteous, brave, eloquent, accomplished, 
and learned. His fame and great deserts were so well known 
throughout Europe, that the Poles thought of electing him their 
king, but Elizabeth would not consent. 

5. He received a mortal wound in an engagement near Zutphen, 
in Holland, Sept. 22, 1586. As he was stretched on the ground, his 
attendants brought him some water to quench his raging thirst. Just 
as he was raising it to his lips, he saw a poor wounded soldier, who 
was lying near him, looking wistfully at the cup. " Take this watei 
to him,'' said Sir Philip " his necessity is greater than mine." 

6. Sir Philip was the author of a sort of pastoral romance, called 
the " Arcadia," which was thought very delightful at the time it 
was published, though to us it appears somewhat dull. Indeed, in 
the time of Elizabeth, a conceited, hyperbolical style of writing and 
speaking was necessary to every one who wished to be thought a 
fine gentleman. 

7. A change had taken place, in every respect, since the days of 
Henry VIII. , who himself set the example of running, jumping, and 
wrestling, with all kinds of boisterous sports. Elizabeth's courtiers, 
out of compliment, we suppose, to their female sovereign, affected a 
measured behavior, and quieter recreations. 

8. Lord Mountjoy, who is described as being a pattern of what a 
nobleman should be, delighted in study, in gardens, in riding on a 
pad to take the air, in playing at shovel-board, in fishing in a fish- 



nipiit '! 2, 3. What of Sir Thomas Gresham ? 4, 5. What of Sir Philip Sydney } 
G. What of his Arcadia? What wad thought necessary for a fine gentleman 1 
24* 



282 LORD BURLEIGH. — 1598. 

pond, or in reading play-books." He showed a good taste in this 
last occupation, if he were occupied with Shakspeare's plays ; and 
we may suppose he was, for they were written in the reign of 
Elizabeth, and were the delight of the court, the town, and the 
country. 

9. These plays were all acted by men and boys, it beirtg consid- 
ered a great indecorum for women to appear on the stage. The 
play-houses were little better than barns ; and we are told that, 
instead of painted scenes to represent the places where the action was 
supposed to pass, there used to be only a board hung up over the 
stage, with an inscription on it to tell the spectators where they 
were to imagine the scene to be ! 



CHAPTER CLIV. 

Death of Lord Burleigh. — Lord Essex appointed to the Gov- 
ernment of Ireland. — Is reproved by Elizabeth. — His In- 
terview ivith the Queen. — Last Cause of Offence. 

1. Elizabeth had one faithful servant, who, without courting her, 
or making any improper concessions to her, maintained his place in 
her confidence from her accession till his own death. This was Cecil, 
Lord Burleigh. For forty years he w r as prime minister of England, 
and the most sagacious one that country ever had. 

2. This wise and cautious minister had always endeavored to 
check the queen's fondness for the headstrong Essex, who, from a 
love of military glory, would have kept the country continually in a 
state of war. Burleigh died in 1598, and Essex remained without a 
competitor in her regard. 

3. In 1599, he received the appointment of Governor of Ireland, 
under the title of lord lieutenant, for the express purpose of putting 
an end to an insurrection which had broken out there, headed by a 
powerful chief, the Earl of Tyrone. Nothing doubting of his own 
abilities, Essex hastened to his task ; but he found greater difficulties 
than he expected. 

4. After some months of harassing warfare, in defiance of the 
queen's commands, he entered into a treaty with Tyrone. Elizabeth 
sent a sharp reproof for this and other disobedience, at the same time 
commanding him to remain in Ireland till further orders. Essex, 
however, instantly set off for England, and arrived at court before it 
could be known that he had left Ireland. 

5. Splashed with dirt, he rushed into the presence-chamber, al- 
though he knew the queen was exceedingly punctilious about the neat 

7. What change in manners? 8. What author was a favorite? 9. What of acting 
plays ? 

CLIV. — 1. What faithful servant had Elizabeth? What of Lord Burleigh? 3. What 
appointment did Essex receive i How did he discharge its duties 1 4,5. How did he 



MORE ABOUT THE EARL OF ESSEX. — 1539 2S3 

and seemly apparel of those who approached her. Not finding her 
there, he hurried forward to her bed-chamber, where she was barely 
risen, and sitting with her hair about her face. 

6. Essex fell on his knees before her, and Elizabeth was so taken 
by surprise at this sudden appearance of her favorite, that she received 
him most graciously. But when he was gone, and she had time to 
reflect on his conduct, she considered this last presumption as an ag- 
gravation of his former faults ; upon his next appearance, a few hours 
after, his reception was quite different, and he was placed in the cus- 
tody of Lord Egerton. 

7. Essex, from the agitation of his mind, fell seriously ill. The 
tenderness of the queen returned when she heard of his danger. She 
ordered eight physicians to consult on his case, and sent one of them 
to him with some broth, saying, while the tears ran down her cheeks, 
that if she could, consistently with her honor, she would vieit him. 
Essex upon this recovered, and was permitted to remain in retirement 
in his own house. 

8. Elizabeth, after a severe struggle between her affection for her 
favorite and her sense of justice, at length consented that Essex 
should be called to account for his mismanagement of affairs in Ire- 
land. He did not attempt to excuse himself, but made a humble sub- 
mission to the queen, who received his contrite messages with great 
complacency. 

9. He then ventured to apply for a renewal of a grant she had 
formerly made him, but she refused, saying that " an ungovernable 
beast must be stinted in his provender." These contemptuous ex- 
pressions were too much for the proud heart of Essex. His temper, 
hitherto restrained with difficulty, now broke loose. He declared, in 
his rage, that " the queen, now that she was an old woman, was as 
crooked in her mind as in her person." 

10. This was reported to Elizabeth. It was bad enough to call her, 
who was so vain of her person, crooked ; but to call her old was even 
worse ; so great a dread had she of being thought aged, that she con- 
trived, when she was nearly seventy, to be surprised by the French 
ambassador in the act of dancing a galliard, a sort of figure dance, to 
the music of a little fiddle, upon which, we believe, she herself played. 



CHAPTER LXXV. 

Execution of the Earl of Essex. — Death of Queen Elizabeth. 

1. The breach between Elizabeth and her favorite now seemed to 
be irreparable. Essex, completely maddened by passion, sought 
to overturn the government. But his open nature made him a bad 

observe the queen's orders? 6. How did the queen receive him? 7. How did Esse* 
hear his disenice? 8. Were they reconciled? 9. What new cause of offence did he 
give? 10 What instance of the queen's vanity ? 



2S4 DEATH OF ELIZABETH. — 1603. 

plotter. His designs were all known to the ministers, and he vi.'is 
seized and committed to the Tower. His trial soon followed, and his 
guilt was too clear to give the queen the least pretext for granting 
him a pardon. 

2. Her former tenderness and her late resentment reduced Eliza- 
beth to the most pitiable state of mind. She signed the warrant for 
the execution ; she countermanded it ; she again resolved on his 
death ; she felt a new return of tenderness. 

3. It appears that, aware of his impetuous temper, she had for- 
merly given him a ring, telling him that whatever disgrace he should 
fall into, she would promise him, on receiving that ring, to grant him < 
a favorable hearing. This pledge she had fully expected to receive 
at this juncture of his fate, and she attributed his not sending it to 
sturdiness and obstinacy. 

4. When she had- given him, as she thought, ample time for re- 
pentance, and there came not the important ring, she no longer 
delayed his execution, which took place February 25th, 1601, in the 
thirty-fourth year of his age. For a time her feelings of resentment 
supported her under the loss of her favorite. 

5. But this consolation, such as it was, was taken from her when, 
two years after the death of Essex, the Countess of Nottingham, 
being on her death-bed, besought the queen to come to her, as she 
had something to reveal. She then confessed that Essex had en- 
trusted her with the ring to restore it to her majesty, but that she had 
been prevailed on by her husband to withhold it. 

6. Elizabeth, in an agony of grief at this disclosure, shook the 
dying countess in her bed, saying, " God may forgive you ; I never 
can." She then broke from her, and when she had regained her 
own apartments, threw herself on the floor, and gave herself up to the 
most incurable melancholy. 

7. For ten days and nights she lay on the floor, supported by 
cushions. She refused to go to bed, or to take anything that her 
physicians prescribed. Her end visibly approaching, her attendants 
requested her to appoint her successor, and she named the King of 
Scotland. When she became too weak to make resistance, she was 
laid in her bed, where she died, March 24th, 1603, in the seventieth 
year of her age, and the forty-fifth of her reign. 

8. Such was the melancholy end of the most brilliant reign in 
English history. Notwithstanding her haughty temper, and her 
arbitrary government, Elizabeth was a favorite with the people, who 
long afterwards referred with pride and pleasure to the " golden days 
of good Queen Bess.." 

9. Being looked upon as the head of the Protestant interest in 
Europe, she exercised a great influence upon its affairs. Her fame 
even reached the ears of the Grand Seignior at Constantinople, who 
till then had supposed England to be a dependent province of France. 

CLV. — 1. What did Essex now attempt? 2. What effect had his conduct, on 1 tie 
queen? 3. What reason had she to suppose Essex obstinate? 4. When did he die? 
5 6. How had the queen been deceived? What were her feelings at the discovery ? 7. 
Relate the particulars of her death. Her aee? Her length of reign? 8. What were 
the feelings of the people towards her? 9. What of the grand seignior? 



CHARACTER AND ANECDOTES OF ELIZABETH. 2S5 

He sought to atone for the insulting idea by the high compliments he 
paid the queen, whom he styled " a fountain of honor," and a M com- 
fortable cloud of rain." 



CHAPTER CLVI. 



Character and Anecdotes of Elizabeth. — Spenser ', the Poet 

Laureate. 

1. Next to her personal beauty, her learning was the object of 
Elizabeth's vanity. For this there was somewhat more of reason. 
To an address in Greek by the University of Cambridge, she replied, 
without any preparation, in the same language. Once, when the 
Polish ambassador had said something to displease her, she made a 
spirited reply in very good Latin ; then, turning to her attendants, 
she said, " I have been forced, my lords, to scour up my Latin, which 
has been long rusting." 

2. She also aspired to the reputation of a wit, and one of her own 
jokes, though a very poor one, saved a Dr. Man from a severe rebuke. 
Philip of Spain had sent an ambassador, of the name of Gusman, to 
Elizabeth, and she in return sent Dr. Man, who conducted the affair 
with which he was entrusted so badly, that the queen thought of pun- 
ishing him. 

3. But happening to say to one of her courtiers that Philip had sent 
a Goose-man (i. e., a Gusman) to her, but that she had sent a Mow-goose 
to him, this conceit diverted her so much, that she let the matter pass, 
and Dr. Man escaped without any more serious censure. 

4. Elizabeth was fond of music, and played " indifferently well" 
on the lute, and on the virginals, an ill-shaped, clumsy instrument, 
with strings and keys. She seems to have thought there was some- 
thing royal and stately in loud noises ; for, when she dined, she would 
have twelve trumpets and two kettle-drums, besides other instruments, 
all thundering at once in her ears. 

5. Upon a certain occasion she went in great state to hear a sermon 
preached. Besides a numerous train of lords and ladies, she had a 
thousand soldiers, and ten great cannons dragged after her, with an 
abundance of drums and trumpets ; and, besides all these, there was 
a party of morris-dancers, and two white bears in a cart. 

6. It was the custom in her day, as it is now, for the sovereign to 
keep a maker of verses, by the title of poet laureate, whose duty it is 
to compose odes for the royal birth-days, and other like occasions. 
Elizabeth was fortunate enough to have a real poet upon whom to 
bestow the office. Such was Edmund Spenser, whose poems of the 
Fairy Queen and the Shepherd's Kalendar are among the most beau- 
tiful in the language. 

7. For some time he only wore the barren laurel, and held the 
place without the salary. The queen was so well pleased with one 
of his stanzas, that she ordered him an hundred pounds for ii. 

CLVI. — 1. What of Elizabeth's learning? 4. What of her fondness for music 



286 



JAMES 1. — 1603. 



"What," said the economical Burleigh, "all this for a song-?" 
" Give him, then, what is reason," said the queen, who already 
repented of her generosity. 

8. Spenser, to whom the conversation had been told, waited for 
some time with patience, but at length presented his petition : 

" I was promised on a time, to have reason for my rhyme, 
From that time unto this season, I 've received nor rhyme nor reason." 

The queen forthwith ordered the hundred pounds to be paid. 

TABLE OF THE LINE OF TUDOR. 
Began to reign. Reigned years, 



1485 
1509 
1547 
1553 
1558 



24 Henry VII. 

38 Henry VIII., son of Henry VII. 

6 Edward VI., son of Henry VIII. 

5 Mary, daughter of Henry VIII. 

45 Elizabeth, daughter of Henry VIII. 



CHAPTER CLVII. 

James I. — Change in the Manners of the Court. — Sir Wal- 
ter Raleigh introduces the Use of Tobacco, and the Cultiva- 
tion of Potatoes. 




lossing; 



James I. ezarni7iing and tasting Tobacco. 

1. The crown of England was never transmitted more quietly 
from father to son, than when it passed from the family of Tudor tc 



6. What is the poet laureate? Who served Elizabeth in that capacity? 7,8. Wiiat 
anecdole of Burleigh's economy ? 



SIR WALTER RALEIGH. 2S7 

that of Stuart. James I. of England, and VI. of Scotland, was 
thirty-seven years old, when the death of Elizabeth made him the 
sovereign of the whole island of Great Britain. His character was an 
odd mixture of sense and folly, which it is very difficult to describe. 

2. He had a natural shrewdness and sagacity, with a great share 
of vanity and conceit, and he made even his learning, which was con- 
siderable, appear ridiculous by his pedantry and pomposity. With all 
this he had a great deal of childish simplicity, and there was an open- 
ness of temper about him, which, though a virtue, made him unfit to 
control the jealousies which arose between his English and Scotch 
subjects. 

3 His person was awkward, and his manners uncouth and with- 
out dignity ; and these defects, together with his broad Scotch accent, 
soon made him an object of contempt to those who had been accus- 
tomed to the stately majesty of Elizabeth. A graceful and dignified 
wife might have made up for the king's deficiencies. But Anne, 
daughter of the King of Denmark, whom he married, is described as 
very homely and unprepossessing. 

4. From these causes, the manners of the court became so rude and 
unpolished as to disgust the old courtiers of Elizabeth. Indeed, 
James hated pomp and parade, and used to discourage all who had 
no particular business at the court from coming to it. He used to 
say to the country gentlemen, " At London you are like ships in a 
sea ; you look like nothing , but in your country villages you are like 
ships in rivers, which look like great things." 

5. James was fond of study ; he read much, but it was chiefly or 
religious subjects, upon which he was a warm controversialist. Argu- 
ment was his delight and his glory. He loved to exhibit his wisdom 
and learning in long harangues. But though he could talk, he could 
not act ; he wanted both decision and exertion ; and the parliament, 
soon finding out his weakness, listened to his speeches, but paid no 
other attention to them ; and contrived by degrees to strengthen its 
own power at the expense of the crown's ; so that while he was per- 
petually talking of his royal prerogative, he gradually lost much of it. 

6. James was also ambitious of the reputation of an author. One 
of his books was on the duty of a king, and another was called " A 
Counterblast to Tobacco," to the use of which he was much opposed ; 
and he was accustomed to say he had no notion of men's making 
chimneys of their mouths. This herb was first brought to England 
in 1596, upon the return of Sir Walter Raleigh's unfortunate settlers 
from Virginia, where they did not succeed in establishing a permanent 
home. Sir Walter himself was one of its first admirers, but for some 
time preserved great secrecy in his attachment, till the foible was dis- 
covered by a ridiculous accident. 

7. He was one day enjoying his pipe in solitude, forgetful that he 
had ordered his servant to attend him with a goblet of ale. The 
faithful domestic suddenly entering the study, and finding, as he 
thought, his master's brains on fire, and evaporating in smoke and 

CLVII. — 1. Who succeeded Elizabeth? What of James' character? 3. Whatofhia 
person? What of his wife? 4. What of the manners of the court ? 5. Of what was 



2SS LAD\ ARABELLA STUAR1. 

flame through his nostrils, did his utmost to extinguish the conflagra- 
tion, by emptying the goblet on his head ; then rushing out of the 
room, he alarmed the family with an account of the frightful scene he 
had witnessed. 

8. But Raleigh conferred a less questionable benefit on his country. 
It was the fashion in those days to make, what we should call pirati- 
cal, expeditions against the West India islands, and the continent of 
America in that vicinity, all of which was then in the possession of 
the Spaniards. Captain Hawkins, on his return, in 1565, from such 
an expedition, presented to Sir Walter some roots which he said 
furnished an article of food for the inhabitants of New Spain, or 
Mexico. 

9. Sir Walter planted them upon some land the queen had given 
him in Ireland. When the plant came to maturity, the fruit was 
gathered, but was found to be so nauseous, that he had nearly con- 
signed the whole crop to destruction. Fortunately the merits of the 
real potato were discovered. No one then imagined that the plant 
which Sir Walter cultivated as a dainty, would be the means of sav- 
ing- the Irish nation from famine. 



CHAPTER CLVIII. 

Conspiracy to place Lady Arabella Stuart on the Throne. — 
Conclusion of the Story of Sir Walter Raleigh. 

1. The tranquillity of James' reign was soon interrupted by a con- 
spiracy to place Lady Arabella Stuart upon the throne. By referring 
to the table of the family of Henry VII. , you will see that she was 
related to that monarch in the same degree with James ; being a 
daughter of a brother of Lord Darnley, the king's father. The plot 
was soon discovered, and the conspirators punished. 

2. Lady Arabella was neither qualified nor desirous to be a queen, 
and was totally ignorant of the conspiracy. Although brought up in 
great privacy, yet being nearest to the throne after James, she had 
been an object of jealousy both to him and to Elizabeth. James, how- 
ever, treated her with great kindness, so long as she remained unmar- 
ried. At last she was united to a Mr. Seymour. For this offence 
both she and her husband were imprisoned. 

3. Though confined in different prisons, they both contrived to 
make their escape at the same time, and hoped to join each other 
abroad. Mr. Seymour was so fortunate as to get safely to Flanders, 
but poor Lady Arabella was retaken on the road to Calais, and brought 
back. This disappointment deprived her of her reason. She never 

he fond ? What of the parliament ? 6. What of the use of tobacco ? What anecdote 
of Raleigh's use of it 1 8, 9. What of potatoes ? 
CLVIII. — 1. What first disturbed the tranquillity cf James' reign? 2. What of 



DEATH OF SIR WALTER RALEIGH. — 1618. 2S9 

recovered it again, and died in a few years. Some of her letters are 
preserved, and show her to have been an amiable woman, of a cheer- 
ful temper, and without any ambition to be a queen. 

4. Sir Walter Raleigh was accused of being concerned in the 
conspiracy in favor of Lady Arabella. He was hated by the people 
on account of his known enmity to their darling, the unfortunate 
Earl of Essex. He had also made himself obnoxious to the king, 
and to his minister, Cecil, Earl of Salisbury, a son of the great Lord 
Burleigh, who possessed much of his father's capacity, but without 
his integrity. 

5. Under such circumstances, Raleigh, whether guilty or inno- 
cent, could have no hope to escape conviction. He was senienced 
to death, but reprieved and held for many years in imprisonment, 
which he employed in writing a " History of the World," and other 
works which have gained him a high reputation as an author. He 
was cheered in his confinement by the friendship of Henry, Prince of 
Wales. 

6. The prince, who was as unlike his father as possible, sincerely 
admired the splendid talents of Sir Walter, and used to say that 
" no king but his father would keep such a bird in a cage." He 
would have seen, had he lived, that this poor bird was at length per- 
mitted to enjoy a short period of liberty. Thirteen years of imprison- 
ment had subdued Raleigh's pride and haughtiness. The people 
had forgotten his enmity to Essex, and now exceedingly desired his 
liberation. 

7. This was at length granted, probably by the application ot 
bribes to the king's favorite, Villiers, of whom we shall soon hear 
more. No formal pardon was granted, but might readily have 
been purchased ; Sir Walter, indeed, thought of doing this, but he 
was told by Lord Bacon, whom he consulted, that it was not neces- 
sary, since the king's appointment of him to the command of an ex- 
pedition to Guiana, with the power of life and death over those under 
him, was a sufficient pardon. 

8. This expedition was fitted out, at the instigation of Sir Walter, 
to go in search of a very rich gold mine, of which he said he had 
obtained information in a former voyage. He sailed with several 
ships, and directed his course to the river Oronoco. Nothing was 
effected but the. destroying of a small Spanish town, in the attack on 
which Raleigh's eldest son was killed. 

9. The Spanish government complained of this act, and James, 
who was desirous to keep on good terms with that government, 
resolved to sacrifice Raleigh to appease their resentment. He was 
first tried for misconduct in the late expedition, but after frequent 
examinations, the commissioners insisted that there was no ground 
for complaint. James then ordered the old sentence to be put in 
force. On the 29th of October, 1618, he was brought to the scaffold, 
where he behaved with great manliness and dignity. 

Lady Arabella Stuart ? 4. What befell Sir Walter Raleigh? 5. How did he employ his 
lime in prison ? 6. What of Prince Henry ? 7. Why did not Raleigh, demand a formal 
pardon? 8. What expedition did he go upon? With what success? 9, 10. Relate 
the remaining particulars of his life. 

19 



290 



THE GUNPOWDER PLOT. — 1605. 



10. He desired to see the axe, and feeling- the edge of it, said to 
the sheriff, " This is a sharp medicine, but a sure remedy for all evils. 1 ' 
This act of deliberate cruelty is the greatest blot on James' reign, and 
caused great indignation among the people, who felt that they had 
lost the only man in the kingdom who had any reputation foi /alor, 
or any military experience. 



CHAPTER CLIX. 



The Gu?ipoivder Plot. 




Gunpowder Plot. 



1. For the sake of giving the life of Sir Walter Raleigh to its con- 
clusion, without interruption, we have gone a little before our story, 
and must now return to the year 1605. The Roman Catholics had 
expected great indulgences from James on his mother's account ; but 
they found, to their great chagrin, that he was no less steady than 
Elizabeth had been to the cause of Protestants. 

2. To this disappointment was owing the famous Gunpowder Plot. 
Two Catholic gentlemen, named Percy and Catesby, being in conver- 
sation about public affairs, became highly excited, and in their heat, 
agreed to attempt the destruction of the king, lords and commons, at 
one stroke. This was to be done by blowing up the Parliament 
House with gunpowder, at a time when the lords and commons 



CtlX. — 1. What disappointments djd \he Caiholjcs mept with? 2. What was the 



THE GUNPOWDER PLOT. — 1605. 291 

should have met together to hear the speech which the king makes at 
the opening of each session. 

3. The design was communicated to a few persons, and Guy 
Fawkes, a man of known courage and zeal, who was then serving as 
an officer in the Spanish army, was sent for to aid in its execution. 
Percy hired the building next the parliament-house, and the conspira- 
tors began to undermine the wall between the two houses. After 
they had worked some time they learned that the cellar of the parlia- 
ment-house was to be let. 

4. This was exactly what they wished ; Percy at once hired it foi 
the ostensible purpose of storing fuel. Thirty-six barrels of gunpow- 
der were secretly placed in it, and covered over with fagots and billets 
of wood. To complete the deception, the doors were boldly kept 
open, and everybody admitted as if it contained nothing dangerous. 

5. The secret, though entrusted to above twenty persons, had been 
faithfully kept for near a year and a half, during which time there had 
been no meeting of parliament. At length the members were ordered 
to assemble on the fifth of November, 1605. A few days before the 
time appointed for the meeting, Lord Monteagle received a letter from 
an unknown hand, begging him not to be present at the opening of 
parliament. 

6. It warned him not to think lightly of this advice ; " for though 
there w ? as no appearance of any stir, ye- they will receive a terrible 
blow this parliament, yet tney shall not see who hurts them."' Mont- 
eagle knew not what to think of this letter, and showed it to Lord 
Salisbury, who was not inclined to pay much attention to it ; but who, 
nevertheless, laid it before the king. 

7. The king had sagacity enough to perceive , from its earnest style, 
that something important was meant ; and this forewarning of a sud- 
den and terrible blow, yet with the authors concealed, made his sus- 
picions come very near the truth. The day before the meeting of 
parliament, he sent the Earl of Suffolk to examine all the cellars under 
the buildings where they were to assemble. 

8. Suffolk was surprised to see so many piles of wood and fagots 
in the cellar under the house of lords, and was struck also with the 
dark and mysterious countenance of Guy Fawkes, who called himself 
Mr. Percy's servant. Suffolk departed, however, without giving any 
intimation of his suspicions, but resolved ,to make a more thorough 
search at an hour when the conspirators would probably be making 
tiieir last preparations. 

9. Accordingly, about midnight, a party of officers proceeded to 
the cellar. Near the door they seized Guy Fawkes, dressed in a cloak 
and boots, and carrying a dark lantern ; and in his pockets were found 
matches and everything requisite for setting fire to the powder. On 
turning over the fagots, the barrels of gunpowder were discovered. 
Fawkes at first appeared undaunted, but his courage afterwards failed 
him, and he made a full confession. 

10. Percy, Catesby, and some others fled into Warwickshire, where 

gunpowder plot? 3. Who wore the principal actors? Relate the preparation mailo by 
tin; conspirators. 5, G ; 7. How was it discovered .' 8, 'J. What steps were lakuu u> tho 



292 



THE GUNPOWDER PLOT. — 1605. 



Sir Everard Dig-by, another of the band, had already taken up arms, 
so confident was he that the " terrible blow" had been given in Lon- 
don. The country was soon roused against the criminals, who took 
refuge in one of those fortified houses, so common at that day. 




Seizure of Guy Fawkes. 

11. But the same fate awaited them which they had designed for 
so many others. Their gunpowder took fire and blew up, maiming 
and destroying several of them. The rest rushed out upon the multi- 
tude, and were literally cut to pieces, except a few who were taken 
alive, and afterwards tried and executed. 

12. The 5th of November, or Pope's Day, as it is called, is still 
observed as a holiday in England, and was also observed in this coun- 
try so long as it remained in a state of dependence upon Great Britain. 
One of the most noisy observances of the day is the burning of Guy 
Fawkes in effigy. But the bundle of rags which serves as his repre- 
sentative, by no means does justice to him. 

13. We are told that during his trial and imprisonment he was 
richly apparelled, to the great scandal of the people ; some, it is said, 
were especially indignant at him for " taking tobacco out of meas- 
ure;" tobacco being then a novelty, it was doubtless considered too 
great a luxury for a traitor. 

government? 10, 11. What became of the chief conspirators? 12, 13. What of Guy 
Fawkes ? 



DEATH OF PRINCE HENRY. — 1612. 293 

CHAPTER CLX. f 

Prince Henry. — The Condition of the English People under 
James. — Masques. — Baronets first created. 

1. Prince Henry has been introduced to the reader in so favorable 
a manner, that he may doubtless be willing- to hear something more of 
him. He is always spoken of in history as an extraordinary young 
man. He was fond of study, and before he was seven years old, he 
could write Latin correctly ; he was also exceedingly expert in all 
manly and active exercises. 

2. He was sincerely religious, and when he was old enough to 
have an establishment, would keep no persons in his service whom he 
did not think worthy of his good opinion. We are told that he kept 
his numerous household in the most exact order, and that a glance of 
his eye served instead of a command ; but though a strict, he was a 
very kind master. 

3. He was warm and ardent in his friendships, and a great proof 
of his sense was that his friends were always well chosen. He had 
an anxiety to know all great and distinguished persons, and he culti- 
vated the correspondence of learned men, his own countrymen as well 
as foreigners. 

4. There was one trait in his character which might have been 
productive of national evils. This was his ambition of military glory. 
His mother, because his person hau a real or a fancied resemblance to 
Henry V., used to tell him that he was born to conquer France like 
that hero. He had too much good sense to be misled by such a fool- 
ish prognostic ; yet it is certain he indulged in many visionary schemes 
of future prowess. 

5. He took great interest in the navy, and made frequent visits to 
Chatham, where there was and still is a dock-yard, to examine and 
learn all he could about shipping. He was never idle, and his ex- 
traordinary diligence gave him time to attend to a great many things. 
Possessed of so many noble qualities, it is no wonder that the English 
looked forward with pleasure to the time when he should rule over 
them. 

6. But all their anticipations were disappointed by his death at the 
early age of eighteen. When first taken ill he did not show his usual 
discretion. He had such confidence in his own strength of constitu- 
tion that he would not give up his accustomed duties and exercises so 
long as he could rise from his bed. The ignorance of his physicians 
completed what his own imprudence had begun. 

7. The death of this prince was a peculiar disappointment to all the 
restless and ardent men w r ho hoped for an opportunity to signalize 
themselves under a prince of martial genius. To such, the peaceful 
and inactive disposition of his father was matter of complaint ; but, to 
the great mass cf the people, it brought comfort and happiness 
There were no expensive wars, and therefore few taxes. 

CLX. -1,2, 3. What of Prince Henry's character? 4, 5. What sovereign was lie said 
to resemble? What was predicted on this account? 6. How were the hopes of all i ; a- 
25* 



t>94 CONDITION OF THE PEOPLE UNDER JAMES. —1603— 1625. 

8. By discouraging- the thronging- of the higher orders to court, 
James kept many of the principal families quietly at home, where the} 
lived both frugally and usefully among their tenantry. A contempo- 
rary writer says, " There is no people in the whole world where men 
of all conditions live so peaceably, and so plentifully, yea, and so 
safely also, as in England." 

0. We are also told that " the houses of farmers were often fur- 
nished with a garnish of pewter on the cupboard ; three or four 
feather-beds, with as many coverlets, and carpets of tapestry, a silver 
salt, a bowl for wine, and a dozen spoons to finish out the suit." 
This is an establishment superior to that of earls in the time of Henry 
VII. 

10. James himself was probably the poorest man in his dominions. 
Though not extravagant in his habits, he was always embarrassed, 
from his ignorance of the value of money, and from his thoughtless 
profusion to his favorites. It is said, that one day as he was standing 
in the midst of his courtiers, a porter passed by loaded with money for 
the royal treasury. The king observed that Rich, Earl of Holland, 
one of these favorites, whispered something to his neighbor. 

11. Upon inquiry he found that Rich had said, "How happy 
would that money make me !" Without hesitation James bestowed 
it all upon him, though it amounted to 3000 pounds. He added, " I 
think myself very happy in having an opportunity to oblige a man 
whom I love." 

12. The queen also brought great expenses upon him by her pas- 
sionate love of shows and entertainments, especially of masques. 
These were a kind of play, generally performed by ladies and gentle- 
men in private houses. The queen was excessively fond of appearing 
in these masques, in which the characters had little else to do than to 
display their fine dresses. 

13. On one occasion she and the ladies of her court performed a 
masque in the character of Moorish women, and had their faces and 
arms blackened in order to look like Moors, and the effect, as we are 
told by one of the spectators, was "horridly ugly." The court 
masques were got up under the direction of Ben Jonson, who, after 
being a bricklayer, a soldier, and an actor, Jin ally, by the assistance 
of his friend, Shakspeare, attained to great celebrity as a dramatic 
writer. He died in 1637, and was buried in Westminster Abbey. 
On the grave-stone is this inscription : " O ! Rare Ben Jonson." 

14. To meet all his expenses, James was obliged to have recourse 
to various expedients ; amongst others, to the sale of titles, and dig- 
nities ; though at his accession he had given these away in such 
profusion as to lead some wag to advertise to teach an art by which 
people could remember the names of the new nobility. A species of 
hereditary knighthood, unknown in other kingdoms, was invented ; it 
w r as that of baronet, and was sold to any one for a thousand pounds. 

appoin.ed? 7,8,9. What, of the state of the country under James? 10, 11. What in- 
stance of his liberality? 12. What were masques? Who directed the court masques' 
14. How did James raise money for his expenses? 



ANECDOTES OF JAMES L 



295 



CHAPTER CLX1. 

Anecdotes of James I. — The Bible translated. — Coaches in- 
troduced. 




Translating the Bible. 



1. Next to controversy, the employment which James loved best 
was hunting - ; and he carried it to such an extreme, that he led his 
poor courtiers, who were not equally fond of it, a weary life. One of 
them makes heavy complaints of being obliged to ride with him, in 
heat and cold, dry and wet, from eight in the morning till four in the 
afternoon, in full career, from the death of one poor hare to that of 
another. 

2. James had a hunting-palace at Newmarket, and another at Roys- 
ton. When he and his attendants were there, they consumed all the 
provisions in the place, and made such a bustle that the quiet inhab- 
itants did not at all like these visitations. In one of these hunting 
bouts, Jowler, the king's favorite hound, w r as missing. 

3. The king was exceedingly vexed at his loss : but the next day 
Jowler reappeared with a piece of paper tied to his collar, bearing 
these words: "Good Mr. Jowler, we pray you speak to the king, 
(for he hears you every day, and so doth he not us,) that it will 
please his majesty to go back to London, or else the country will be 
undone ; all our provision is spent, and we are not able to entertain 
him any longer." 

CLXI. — ... Of wnat amusement was James fond? 2. Relate the anecdote of his dog, 



29 & THE KING'S FAVORITES. 

4. James, like his predecessor, sometimes attempted a joke. We 
will give one as a specimen. A gentleman of the name of Lumley 
was boasting to him of the great antiquity of his family. "Hoot 
mon," exclaimed the king in his broad Scotch, " I did nae ken that 
Adam was a younger son of the Lumley family." 

5. Though we are very apt to ridicule James for his folly and ped- 
antry, yet we ought not to forget that we owe him one obligation, 
which it would be very ungrateful not to remember. We are indebted 
to him for the excellent translation of the Bible now in use. Cran- 
mer's Bible, having been made from very defective Latin translations, 
was in many places not faithful to the originals. James therefore 
employed some very learned men to make a translation from the orig- 
inal languages ; the Old Testament being in the Hebrew, and the New 
Testament in the Greek language. Nearly fifty persons were occu- 
pied about it for four years. 

6. Although James was of so peaceful a temper, he took great 
pride in his navy, and built many large vessels. These were em 
ployed in protecting commerce, which had much increased, and in 
visiting the new colonies of Virginia and Plymouth, which were suc- 
cessfully planted during his reign. The increase of commerce brought 
increase of wealth and luxury. Ladies and gentlemen had become 
too effeminate to ride on horseback, but must needs have coaches. 
The first coach we read of as used in England is one that Lord Arun- 
del had in 15S0. But in the reign of James there were even hackney 
coaches. 

7. These early coaches were very like modern wagons ; they were 
cumbrous, jolting vehicles, and so capacious as to hold eight persons 
commodiously. Six individuals, three on each seat, sat opposite to 
one another ; the two others sat back on two stools that faced the two 
doors. But the favorite Yilliers, Duke of Buckingham, was too 
effeminate to ride in a coach even. He introduced sedan chairs, to 
the great scandal of the people, who thought it degrading to men u 
make them do the work of horses. 



CHAPTER CLXI1. 

* 

The King's Favorites, Carr, Earl of Somerset, and Villiers, 
Duke of Buckingham. — Romantic Expedition of Prince 
Charles into Spain. — Death of James I. 

1. As we have frequently spoken of the king's favorites, it is time 
to say something more particularly about them. It was one of his 
follies to have an exclusive regard for some one person, who was 
generally chosen for his agreeable exterior. The first of these was 

For what are we indebted to James? 6. What colonies were planted in his reign? 7 
What of the use ol coaches ? 



EXPEDITION OF PRINCE CHARLES INTO SPAIN. 297 

Robert Carr, a Scotch youth of good family, but of a neglected edu 
cation. 

2. James undertook to be his tutor, and to teach him Latin. As 
he grew older, he loaded him with dignities, and finally created him 
Earl of Somerset. This favorite had a sincere and wise friend, Sir 
Thomas Overbury, who, on his wishing to marry the Countess of 
Essex, strongly advised him against it. The countess, irritated at 
this, persuaded Somerset to have him put in the Tower, where he 
was soon after poisoned. 

3. Somerset and the countess, the guilty contrivers of his death, 
then married ; but he, being less hardened in wickedness, sunk into 
melancholy, and became such a dull companion that the king grew 
weary of him. The guilt of Somerset and his wife was some time 
afterwards discovered. 

4. They, and all who had been accessory to the murder, were 
tried and convicted. The accomplices wore executed, but Somerset 
and his wife were only banished. They lived many years, dragging 
on a most miserable life ; their former love, which had led them into 
guilt, being turned to the most deadly hatred. 

5. As the king was one day attending to a play which was repre- 
sented for his entertainment by the scholars of Cambridge, he was at- 
tracted by the handsome person and fine clothes of George Villiers, 
who had purposely been placed in a conspicuous situation. James 
at once took him into his service. Villiers soon gained an unbounded 
influence over the king, who created him Duke of Buckingham. 

6. James was exceedingly desirous of marrying his son, Charles, 
who was now the heir to the throne, to a daughter of the King of 
Spain. A Spanish match was not at all to the liking of the people, 
who remembered the days of Philip and Mary. It found, however, 
a warm advocate in the Duke of Buckingham. This nobleman, who 
enjoyed the rare good fortune of being in equal favor with the reign- 
ing monarch and with the heir to the throne, possessed Prince 
Charles with a desire to undertake a romantic journey into Spain, to 
see the princess, and to woo her in person. 

7. It was with great difficulty that the king could be persuaded to 
consent to this. At last, entirely against his own judgment, he agreed 
to permit the departure of his son and Buckingham. To the latter he 
gave many charges to take care of the " baby Charles," as he was 
accustomed to call the prince, though then in his twenty-second year. 

8. The prince and the duke left England disguised and undis- 
covered. In their way through France, they attended, without being 
recognized, a' ball, where Charles first saw the French princess, Hen- 
rietta Maria, whom he afterwards married. When he arrived at 
Madrid, he made himself and his errand known. 

9. The King of Spain treated him with great respect ; but whether 
it was that Charles did not like the Spanish princess so well as the 
beautiful sister of the King of France, or whether Buckingham, who 

CXLII. — 1. Who was the first favorite of the king? 2, 3. What hecame of Somer- 
set? 5. What of Villiers? 6. What expedition did Prince Charles go upon? 7. 
What charge did the king give to Buckingham? 9. Why was the Spanish matcli 



298 DEATH OF JAMES I. — 1625. 

thought himself slighted by the haughty Spaniards, to whom his in- 
solent manners were highly offensive, persuaded him to abandon the 
suit, it is certain that after some months' absence, he returned to 
England, wholly unwilling to pursue the negotiation into which James 
had entered. 

10. It was accordingly broken off, and overtures of marriage made 
to Henrietta Maria. Whilst this negotiation was still pending, the 
king fell ill of an ague. Finding his end approaching, he took an 
affectionate leave of his son, and died March 27th, 1625, in the fifty- 
ninth year of his age, and the twenty-second of his reign over Eng- 
land. He had been recognized, as King of Scotland, as will be recol- 
lected, almost from his birth. 



FAMILY OF JAMES I. 
WIFE. 



Anne, Princess of Denmark. 



CHILDREN. 



Henry, died November 6th, 1612, in the eighteenth year of his age. 

Charles, who succeeded his father. 

Elizabeth, who married Frederick, ex-King of Bohemia. From her, through 

her daughter, Sophia, who married the Elector of Hanover, the present royal 

family of England derive their title to the throne. 



CHAPTER CXLIII. 

The great Philosopher, Lord Bacon. — Lord Napier invents 
Logarithms. — Sir Edtoard Coke. — The Puritans. 

1. We have had no opportunity, in the course of our story, of in- 
troducing, except by name, the brightest ornament of this reign. 
Francis Bacon, Viscount St. Albans, better" known as Lord Bacon, 
first came into notice in the reign of Elizabeth. She was sensible of 
his great talents, but his advancement was steadily opposed by Lord 
Burleigh, who assured Elizabeth that, though he was a man of ex- 
traordinary genius, his head was filled with philosophy, and not with 
political knowledge. 

2. James raised him to the office of chancellor, and his misconduct 
in that high post fully justified the sagacious Burleigh's opinion. One 
of the most important duties of the chancellor is to act as jydge, and 
as his court is the highest in the kingdom, the most important causes, 
in respect to property, are brought before it. 

3. Bacon was accused of taking bribes from suitors in his court ; 
and being brought to trial for the offence, he confessed that he had 
connived at the reception of them by his officers. He was dismissed 

broken iff? 10. When did James die? How old was he? How long did he reign? 
CLXIII. — 1. When did Lord Bacon come into notice? Who opposed his advance- 
ment? Why? 2. By what conduct did he justify Burleigh's opinion? 3, 4. What of 



LORD BACON — LORD NxYPIER — SIR EDWARD COKE. 



299 



from his station, and sentenced to pay a heavy fine, and to be im- 
prisoned during the king's pleasure. James, in consideration of his 
many merits, released him from prison, and remitted the fine. 




Lord Bacon. 



4. Bacon survived his disgrace five years, during which time he 
employed himself in prosecuting those philosophical studies in which 
he was naturally fitted to excel, and in which he has attained a higher 
reputation than, perhaps, any other writer of any age or country. He 
died in Hi"2Q. 

5. There is another man of science who deserves a passing notice. 
This is Lord Napier, who immortalized himself by the invention of a 
system of artificial numbers, called logarithms, which greatly facili- 
tate the calculation of great sums in arithmetic. 

6. This age was so prolific in great men, that we hardly know 
where to stop. We can mention but one more. Sir Edward Coke 
was the most eminent lawyer of this age. He met with many 
changes of fortune ; but he made the best of adversity, and King 
James used to compare him to a cat, who always falls upon her feet. 

7. Before beginning the story of King Charles, we must notice 
a new sect which had arisen among the Protestants. 'Many of these 
had taken refuge from the persecution of Mary, at Geneva, and had 
there learned the doctrines of Calvin, the Swiss reformer. 

Bacon after his disgrace? 5. What of Lord Napier? 6. What of Sir Edward Coke 



300 CHARLES I. -1625. 

8. These Puritans — for so they were called from their strict man- 
ner of living — laid a most serious stress on many minute trifles. 
Square caps, like those still worn by the students at the English 
universities, had hitherto been a part of the dress of the clergy. The 
puritans attacked the use of them as being a sinful remnant of popery ; 
and the respective merits of square caps and round caps became a 
subject of furious contention. 

9. The puritans found no favor with tbe court, for they did not 
acknowledge the supremacy of the queen, any more than of the pope, 
in spiritual matters ; yet their doctrines made rapid progress among 
the people. Their public preachings and private exhortations had a 
visible effect on the manners of the age, particularly in regard to the 
Sabbath, which, by their example, began to be observed with serious- 
ness, instead of being made, as heretofore, a day of pastime, and often 
of excess. 



CHAPTER CLXIV. 

Charles I. , sometimes called the Martyr, is opposed by the Par- 
liament in his Attempts to increase the Royal Power. — 
Murder of the Duke of Buckingham. 

1. Charles was in the twenty-fifth year of his age when he as- 
cended' the throne. His features were regular, and he would have 
been handsome, if it had not been for the melancholy cast of his coun 
tenance. His deportment was exceedingly dignified, though during 
the early part of his life it was somewhat ungracious from its too 
great stateliness and formality ; but this wore off as he grew older. 

2. In the morality and regularity of his conduct he set a good ex- 
ample to his court and people ; he was moderate in all his habits and 
his expenses, humane and gentle in his disposition, was a man of kind 
affections, and a most tender husband and father. His mind was 
highly cultivated, and he had extraordinary talents for reasoning and 
argument ; but through his indecision of character, he seldom acted 
as wisely as he could talk, and was often swayed by the counsels of 
men of far inferior capacity. His temper was somewhat hasty, but 
he was generous and forgiving. 

3. But Charles had imbibed some notions, which, notwithstanding 
his many fine and good qualities, at length brought about his destruc- 
tion. He had too high an idea of the royal prerogative ; many of the 
unjust usurpations of power made by Elizabeth he considered as the 
natural rights of the sovereign, which he could not fairly be expected 
to resign. 

4. From the very commencement of this new reign, much popu- 

?. What new sect arose? 8. Why called Puritans? 9. What of the progress of their 
opinions? 
CLXIV. — 1,2. What of Charles 1. ? 3. What notions of power had he imbibed ? 4 



DISAFFECTION OF PARLIAMENT. — 1626. 301 

tar dissatisfaction prevailed, chiefly because the king- surrendered him- 
self entirely to the control of Bucking-ham, who, implacable in his 
hatreds, fickle in his friendships, imperious and grasping- in his desires, 
was regarded with universal dislike. The king's marriage with Hen- 
rietta Maria was also very displeasing to the people, because she was 
a papist, and their religious feelings were shocked at her being allowed 
publicly to exercise her own form of worship. 

5. She also offended the more serious part of the nation by the 
change her elegance and gayety wrought in the manners of the court ; 
and the puritans found less to dislike in the homely vulgarity of the 
late Queen Anne, of Denmark, than in the grace and beauty of Hen- 
rietta. She possessed great influence with the king ; and much of 
his subsequent suffering is to be attributed to his yielding to the dic- 
tates of her violent and imperious temper. 

6. It was a great error in James, as also of his son Charles, to be 
occupied with abstract speculations, and not to see what was passing 
under their eyes. Thus, while James was writing books on kingly 
government, he never perceived that the house of commons was no 
longer that subservient body it had been in all former reigns, but that 
it had at last found out its own strength, and that from being the 
slave of kings, it was now in fact their master. 

7. Charles was equally blind to this change, and was not aware of 
the difficulties which he was bringing on himself by his rash treat- 
ment of this great organ of the will of the people. The first year of 
his reign was spent by him in making attempts to extend his authority, 
and by the commons in trying to curb it. Provoked by this opposition, 
Charles hastily dissolved the parliament, and thus the king and the 
commons parted in mutual disgust and animosity. 

8. One source of discontent was soon removed by the death of 
Buckingham. In revenge for some personal affront, he had persuaded 
Charles to declare war against France, and to send some troops under 
his command to relieve Rochelle, in which a body of Huguenots, as the 
French Protestants were called, were closely besieged by the troops 
of the king, who was a bigoted Catholic. 

9. The expedition was ill planned and badly executed ; and Buck- 
ingham was compelled to return to England, where he set about 
preparations for a new expedition, in which he hoped to recover his 
lost reputation. Portsmouth is one of the great naval stations of 
England, and thither he went to superintend some of the prepara- 
tions. 

10. At the same time with the duke, a man of the name of Felton 
arrived there, a puritan of a melancholy and enthusiastic turn of 
mind, who, learning the universal complaints made against Buck- 
ingham, persuaded himself that he should do his country a service 
by taking his life. He had, too, been disappointed in his hopes of 
promotion in the army, and felt some personal resentment against the 
duke. 

11. For several days, Felton followed the duke like his shadow, 



What rendered the new king unpopular? How did the queen offend Hip people ? What 
"flier inlluenr.e over the king? 6. What error did both James and Charles commit? 7. 

2G 



302 



DEATH OF THE DUKE OF BUCKINGHAM. — 1623. 



without having any opportunity to effect his purpose. At. last, as 
Buckingham was passing through a doorway, he turned to speak 
to Sir Thomas Fryer, who was following him, when an arm was 
suddenly stretched over Sir Thomas' shoulder, which struck a knife 




Death of the Duke of Buckingham. 



into the duke's breast. All passed in a moment. No one saw tne 
blow, or the person who gave it ; the bystanders heard Buckingham 
exclaim, "The villain has killed me!" and saw him pull the knife 
from the wound, and fall dead at their feet. This happened on the 
23d of August, 1628. 

12. It chanced that the duke had been engaged in an animated 
conversation with some French gentlemen, who, as is the custom 
with that lively nation, had made use of much gesticulation and a 
loud tone of voice. Those who did not understand the conversation 
conjectured that there had been a quarrel between the parties, and 
that the duke had been murdered by the French gentlemen, upon 
whom it was proposed to execute summary punishment. There were 
others present, however, who, though equally persuaded of their guilt, 
were in favor of having them dealt with according to law. 

13. But the matter was soon set right. A hat was found, in 
which was pinned a paper, containing some written words and a 

How was the first year of Charles' reism spent ? 8. Upon what expedition was Buck- 
ingham sent ? 9, 10. 11, 12, 13. Relate" the particulars of Buckingham's death. 



MORE TROUBLES WITH PARLIAMENT. — 1629. 303 

short prayer, which proved to have belonged to the murderer. A 
search was now made for a person without a hat, though most agreed 
that it was hopeless, as sufficient time had been allowed the criminal 
to escape. In the midst of the confusion, a man without a hat was 
seen walking very composedly before the door. One cried out, " Here 
he is !" Others ran up, asking, " Which is he?" The man very se- 
dately answered, " I am he !" He was accordingly taken, tried and 
executed. 



CHAPTER CLXV. 

Wentworth, Earl of Strafford. — The King finds the Par- 
liament very unyielding. — He resorts to illegal Measures to 
obtain Money. — About the Scotch Covenanters. 

1. After the death of Buckingham, a change took place in the 
pc/icy of the king, which is worthy of remark, as it may be consid- 
ered almost as a change in the constitution of England. Hitherto the 
king had chosen his ministers from personal favor, or from his own 
opinion of their abilities, without regard to the opinion of the people. 

2. Charles now selected his chief ministers from the leaders of 
those who opposed the assumption of new power by the crown, and 
who were chiefly puritans, thus making it for their interest to main- 
tain the power, of which they had become the partakers. But the 
king did not derive from this measure all the advantages which he 
expected ; for his views were so directly opposed to those of the puri- 
tans, that the leaders whom he had gained lost from that moment all 
influence with their party, and were even pursued as traitors with 
implacable resentment. 

3. The chief of these was Sir Thomas Wentworth, who was cre- 
ated Earl of Strafford, a man whose great abilities were from that 
time devoted with as much zeal to increase the royal power as they 
had hitherto been to diminish it. Indeed, like all proselytes, he 
seemed to have wished to remove all suspicion of the sincerity of his 
conversion by the ardor of his new faith. The opinions which he 
now advocated would have better suited the despotic times of the 
Plantagenets, than those in which he was placed. 

4. The late king had left an exhausted treasury, and the parlia- 
ment had granted such scanty supplies to Charles, that he found him- 
self in want of money to pay the necessary expenses of the govern- 
ment. The right of imposing taxes had always belonged to the par- 
liament ; but such was the subserviency of that body in all former 
reigns, that possession of it was of no great practical value, for the 
king's wishes were always complied with. 

CLXV. — 1. What change in policy after Buckingham's death ? Whom did Charles 
select fi»r hi* ministers? Why? With what result? 3. What of Sir Thomas Went' 

•\ oi ill ? -1. Who possessed the sole right to impose taxes? o. What of the ki.is's 



304 THE SCOTCH COVENANTERS. 

5. It is a part of the king's prerogative, that is, constitutional 
right, to summon a parliament, to appoint the time and place of meet- 
ing, to adjourn the meetings from time to time, and to dissolve the 
parliament, all at his own pleasure. The want of money compelled 
Charles to summon a new one, but, upon finding it no more comply- 
ing than the first, he dissolved it, declaring that he would govern the 
kingdom without one. 

6. He now had recourse to the most arbitrary and unjust expedi- 
ents to obtain money. The court of the Star Chamber was made an 
instrument to wring money from his subjects. The most insignificant 
trifles were made the occasion for imposing enormous fines. In one 
instance, a nobleman's servant quarrelled with a citizen. The servant 
displayed his master's badge, which happened to be a swan, upon his 
sleeve ; the other said, " What do you suppose I care for that 
goose?" For these words he was summoned before the Star Cham- 
ber,- and severely fined for having insulted a nobleman's crest, by call- 
ing a swan a goose. 

7. Charles also attempted to collect taxes upon his own authority 
Amongst others, he imposed a tax, called sliip-money , because it was 
to be used for the maintenance of the navy. Though the money thus 
raised was applied to the specified use, yet the imposition of it being 
illegal, the people were highly indignant. 

8. Things were in this condition in England, when Laud, Arch- 
bishop of Canterbury, with more zeal than discretion, persuaded the 
king to attempt the introduction of the forms of the English church 
into Scotland, where Presbyterianism prevailed. The Scots, instead 
of submitting to the dictation of the king and his prelate, drew up a 
covenant, whereby they bound themselves to resist all religious inno- 
vation ; and this covenant all persons, from one end of Scotland to the 
other, were required to sign. 

i). The covenanters also made preparations to resist the proselytes 
by force of arms. An army was assembled, the command of which 
was given to the Earl of Argyle. The town of Leith was hastily for- 
tified ; such was the zeal of all classes, that noble ladies were to be 
seen mixing with the lowest of the people, carrying loads upon their 
shoulders to complete the works. Charles marched an armysas far as 
Berwick, but was soon forced to disband it for want of money to pay 
the troops. He was obliged to purchase the submission of the Scots 
by many concessions. 

power over parliament? 6. How did Charles seek to obtain money ? 7. What of ship- 
money? 8. What gave offence in Scotland? 9. What of the covenanters ? 



CHARLES REDUCED TO GREAT DISTRESS. — 1640. 305 



CHAPTER CLXVI. 

The King reduced to great Distress. — Death of Strafford. — 
Indiscreet Zeal and I}eath of Laud. — The Breach between 
the King and Parliament widens. — Charles withdraws 
from London. 

1. In 1640, Charles found himself in such a distressed condition, 
that after an interval of eleven years, he once more summoned a parlia- 
ment, in hopes it would grant him some assistance. But as soon as 
it met, instead of paying - any attention to the necessities of the king - , 
it entered upon a discussion of the grievances of the people. 

2. In a moment of irritation, the king dissolved the parliament, a 
rashness which he had afterwards too much reason to repent. His 
necessities were now so great that he was compelled to borrow money 
of his courtiers ; and at length, as a desperate resource, to summon a 
new parliament. The dissolution of the former one had not served to 
put the commons in better humor with the king or his ministers. 
Their first measure now was to impeach Strafford. He was tried, 
and, notwithstanding an eloquent defence, was condemned to death. 

3. The king could not for a long time be induced to consent to his 
execution, although the queen and his other advisers besought him to 
make the sacrifice to the popular clamor. At length it was extorted 
from him, but no suffering of his own gave him so severe a pang as 
the death of his faithful friend and servant. 

4. He sent a letter to the peers, entreating them to confer with the 
house of commons, and obtain their consent to a mitigation of Straf- 
ford's punishment, or a delay in its execution. But the commons 
were inexorable, and he was beheaded May 12th, 1641. Thus was 
literally executed the threat of Pym, one of the most active of the 
puritans, who, when Strafford left that party, had said to him, "You 
have left us ; but we will not leave you while your head is on your 
shoulders." # 

5. The zeal with which Laud defended the royal usurpations of 
power, rendered him very acceptable to the king, and not less obnox- 
ious to the people. This odium was still further increased by the 
extravagant pretensions which he put forth in behalf of the clergy of the 
established church. He sought too to restore many of the imposing 
ceremonies of the Catholic religion — a measure which shows how 
much his zeal had blinded his judgment, for the great mass of the 
nation at this time held in the greatest abhorrence everything that 
reminded them of the church of Rome. 

6. As may be well supposed, Laud did not escape the censure of 
the parliament. He was imprisoned, and all his property confis- 

CLXVI. — 1. To what was Charles forced by his distress for money 1 What was the 
result? 2. Relate what followed. What befell Strafford ? 5. What of Laud's conduct '! 
6. What was his fate ? 7. To what bill did the king give his consent ? 8. What hap 

20 



306 DRESS OF THE CAVALIERS AND PURITANS. — 1642. 

cated, but he was not brought to trial for three years. He was theu 
found guilty of high treason, and beheaded January 10th, 1645. 

7. Soon after the condemnation of Strafford, a bill was passed by 
parliament, by which it was enacted that it should not be dissolved, 
or adjourned, without its own consent. This bill was brought to the 
king, at the time when his mind was in a state of great agitation, 
caused by Strafford's pending fate, and he gave it his assent without 
much consideration, and, by this thoughtless act, completely fettered 
himself. The parliament applied itself to the redress of grievances, 
the greatest of which was the court of the Star Chamber, which was 
abolished. 

8. A dangerous rebellion now broke out in Ireland, and all the 
English in the island, without regard to age or sex, were massacred, 
except a few who took refuge in Dublin. Charles applied to parlia- 
ment for assistance, who raised money and collected ammunition on 
pretence of the Irish service, but in fact kept the whole supply, in 
order to employ it against the king, in opposition to whose authority 
many factions had now united themselves. 

9. One party was composed of men of moderate views, who wished 
merely to put a stop to the abuses, of the royal power. The puritans 
went further than this, and insisted on a separation between church 
and state. The independents, who were pu/itans in religious belief, 
were republicans in political faith, and sougtit the overthrow of both 
established church and monarchy. 

10. In 1642, the quarrel between the king and the parliament had 
reached such a height, that Charles withdrew from London to York, 
taking with him his two sons, Charles and James. Here the chief 
nobility and gentry of the kingdom flocked to him, offering their ser- 
vices. The peers, with the exception of the Earl of Essex and a few 
others, adhered to the king, whilst the puritans supported the parlia- 
ment. 



CHAPTER CLXVII. 

The Dress of the Cavaliers and Puritans. — Costume of the 
Ladies. — Vandyke. — The first Museum. 

1. The two parties differed in dress almost as much as in princi- 
ples and manners. In a work published about this time, there is a 
print of a cavalier, or malignant, as the partisans of the king were 
called by .heir opponents. His conical shaped hat, decorated with 
a large feather, is cocked most pertly on the right side of his head. 
From bf neath its broad brim, the long hair falls upon his shoulders. 
The trrss on the left side, so much longer than the rest, is the love- 

pened ir, Ireland? What advantage was taken of it by parliament? 9, What of the 
dicier s: parties in the state? 10. When did Charles withdraw from London? 

JL ,1. — 1. W nut were the king's partisans called? Describe the dress of a cava 



COSTUME OF THE LADIES. — 1642. 



807 



lock, which was so particularly obnoxious to the puritans, that Mr 
Pym wrote a quarto volume against them. 




Dress of 1642. 

2. His doublet reaches no lower than the waistband of his breeches, 
which are very large, with puffs like small blown bladders, quite round 
the knees ; his boots are very short, with fringed tops, which are near 
as ample in their dimensions as the brim of his hat ; his sword is enor- 
mous, and is suspended to a belt which comes over his right shoul- 
der. To this we may add, that men of fashion, and women too, 
wore black patches upon their faces, which made them look all over 
spots. 

3. We must now give a description of the dress of his majesty, as 
described by a learned antiquary, from a portrait in his own posses- 
sion. " He has a falling band, (a decoration for the neck, which, in 
this reign, supplanted the ruff, which had maintained its place in pub- 
lic favor for several reigns,) a short green doublet, the arm-parts 
towards the shoulders, wide and slashed, zig-zag turned-up ruffles ; 
very long green breeches, (like a Dutchman,) tied far below the 
knee with long yellow ribands ; red stockings, great shoe-roses, 
and a short red cloak, lined with blue, with a star on the shoul- 
der." 

4. The ladies dressed their hair low on the forehead, and parted in 
small ringlets. Many wore it curled like a peruke, and some braided 
and rounded in a knot, on the top of the crown. They frequently 
wore strings of pearls in their hair. Ear-rings, bracelets, and other 
jewels, were worn in profusion. The shoes of a lady of quality, as 



Her. 4. What of ladies' dress 1 5. Whence the name " Vandyke " ? 6. What of 



308 HAMPDEN — PYM — SIR HENRY VANE. 

an author of that day tells us, had such high heels, that she could not 
walk without some one to lead her ; and her gown was so long, that 
she could not stir to the next room without a page or two to hold it 

5. Laced handkerchiefs, resembling the large falling bands of the 
men, were much worn ; and the fashion of these has since been revived 
under the name of Vandyke. They are thus called, because they were 
copied from the portraits of a distinguished painter of that name, who 
flourished in this reign. He was a native of Antwerp, and was 
invited to England by Charles. 

6. He painted the portraits of many of the most distinguished per- 
sonages of the court. All his portraits are distinguished by their 
extraordinary grace and elegance ; but whether that was owing to the 
skill of the painter, or that he was fortunate in tbose who sat to him, 
is more than historians can pretend to tell. Charles was a great 
admirer of paintings, and was also a good judge of them, and had made 
the finest collection of pictures at that time in Europe ; but after his 
death it was dispersed. 

7. The taste for collecting rare things was not confined to the king, 
for his gardener, John Tradescant, made the earliest museum, or 
assemblage of curiosities, known in England. The greater part of this 
collection is yet preserved in the Ashnrule Museum, at Oxford. A 
living curiosity of this reign was for upwards of a century to be seen 
at Lambeth, the palace of the Archbishop of Canterbury. It was a 
tortoise, which had belonged to Laud, and which lived till 1753, when 
it was killed by accident. 

8. A word or two about the dress of the puritans, and we will pro- 
ceed with our history. The puritans were in every respect the 
reverse of the cavaliers. They wore short hair, short bands, short 
cloaks, and long faces, which they still further disfigured by wearing 
a little black cap, edged with white. The ladies tied their heads up 
in hoods, as if they had got the tooth-ache. In ridicule of the close- 
cropped hair of the puritans, the party of the parliament received the 
name of round-heads from their opponents. 



CHAPTER CLXVII1. 

Hampden. — Pym. — Sir Henry Vane. — The Military Coin 
manders on each side. — Commencement of Hostilities. — 
Battles of Edge Hill and of Marston Moor. — Character of 
the Troops on each side. 

1. We left the parties apparently on the verge of a civil war, but 
before we give the details of this, we must describe the leaders 
on each side. The most influential men in the parliament house 

his portraits? 7. What of Charles' taste for paintings? S. What of the dress of the 
puritans ? Why called " Round-heads " 1 



COMMENCEMENT OF HOSTILITIES. — 1642. 309 

were John Hampden and John Pym. The former had the boldness, 
alone and unsupported, to resist the illegal tax, of which we have 
already spoken, called ship-money. 

2. The courtier-judges decided against him ; but the loss of his 
cause was more than compensated to him by the veneration and respect 
with which he was treated by his countrymen. No one doubted the 
purity of his motives in opposing the king, and his death, which hap- 
pened very early in the ensuing contest, was regretted alike by cava- 
liers and round-heads. 

3. Sir Henry Vane was another promoter of the cause of the peo- 
ple. When quite young he came to America. His grave and solemn 
deportment won the hearts of the people of Massachusetts, and in 
1636 he, being then about twenty-four years old, was elected gover- 
nor of that colony. But his popularity was short-lived, and he soon 
returned to England, where a sympathy with the puritans, and a per- 
sonal pique against Strafford, induced him to join the opponents of the 
king. He was a man of considerable ability ; he was fond of theo- 
logical discussions, and was the founder of a very fanatical sect, called 
seekers. 

4. Those whom we have now mentioned were more distinguished 
as speakers than as generals. The military leaders were the Earl of 
Essex and Lord Fairfax, both of whom were honest, well-intentioned 
men. The former was a son of Queen Elizabeth's wayward favorite. 
His pleasing manner and address were well calculated to gain the 
favor of the people. He was a good soldier, having had much expe- 
rience in the wars of foreign countries. 

5. The king's generals were his nephew, Prince Rupert, and the 
Marquis of Newcastle. Prince Rupert, who was a son of Charles' 
sister, Elizabeth, was a brave soldier, but too rash and impetuous to 
make a good general. He was the inventor of the style of engrav- 
ing called mezzotint, which is said to have been suggested to him 
by observing the effect of rust upon an old gun, which a soldier was 
cleaning. 

6. The Marquis of Newcastle was a man of immense wealth, and 
of great abilities, both in council and in the field. His high char- 
acter induced many persons to join the royal army, and while he 
held the command, the royal cause prospered. The reader, doubt- 
less, remembers Seymour, the husband of Lady Arabella Stuart. 
He had now become Lord Hertford, and though he held no high 
command in the army, was a great accession to the royal cause. He 
was fond of retirement and literary pursuits, but he cheerfully relin- 
quished these to serve a master whose family he had no great reason 
to love. 

7. There were many other men who attained to eminence in these 
troubled times, but these are all that we need to mention now. On 
the 25th of August, 1642, in the evening of a very stormy day, the 
king set up his royal standard at Nottingham. It did not stand long. 

CI.XVIII. — I. Who were the most influential of the puritans in parliament? Wha* 
of Hampden? 3. What of Sir Henry Vane ? What sect did he found I 4. Who wi-re 
the military leaders for the parliament? 5. Who led the kind's troops? Wlm trf 
Prioxe Rupert? 6. What of the Marquis of Newcastle? What of Lord Hertiord ; 



310 BATTLE OF EDGEHILL. — 1642. 

for the violence of the wind soon laid it on the ground ; an ill omen 
which added to the gloom and sadness felt at that moment by all the 
king's friends. 

8. The character of' Charles seemed in some respects to have 
changed with the times. He now displayed a vigor and address 
which astonished those who knew his former studious and inactive 
habits. The stateliness and formality of his manner was relaxed 
into a more free and engaging 1 deportment. He had formerly been 
impatient of injury or opposition ; now he submitted with exemplary 
resignation and cheerfulness to the necessities of his hard condition. 
One fault remained unchanged — the wavering indecision of his mind, 
which led to a continual change of measures, according to the last 
opinion he heard. 

9. His greatest difficulty was to raise money. The queen found 
means to get to Holland with her own and the crown jewels, which 
she disposed of in that country ; and with the proceeds she purchased 
a small supply of arms and ammunition. The fleet having taken the 
side of the parliament, the little vessel that conveyed this supply to 
England had great difficulty in getting safely over, and at last escaped 
being taken, by running aground at a place where the water was too 
shallow for large ships to follow. 

10. For the next six years England suffered the horrors of a civil 
war. Garrisons were placed in all the towns, and the people thought 
of little else but sieges and warfare. The first battle was fought 
October 3d, at Edgehill, in Warwickshire. In this contest neither 
party gained any decided advantage. Many engagements followed, 
in which the royal army, composed of well-trained soldiers, under 
officers experienced in the art of war, commonly proved successful 
over the undisciplined forces of the parliament. 

11. But as these gained skill and experience, they became superior 
to any troops the king could bring into the field ; for every man of 
them considered the cause of parliament to be his own, and heartily 
entered into the service. But Charles was obliged to enlist any 
soldiers lie could get, and amongst them many dissolute men, who 
ridiculed the precise and rigid character of the puritans, and expressed 
their contempt of them, not by setting a better example of what was 
right, but by showing themselves to be deriders of all religion and 
virtue. 

12. Nothing was so ruinous to the king's cause as the conduct of 
these men, who committed all kinds of violence and excess ; and the 
country people naturally liked that party best by which they were 
most humanely treated. The parliament, finding it less easy to crush 
the king than they had expected, called in the aid of the Scots, and 
entered into what was called a Solemn League and Covenant with 
them. 

13. As the parliament exercised without reserve the right of levy- 
ing taxes, they were enabled, under continual defeat, to bring fresh 

7. When was the king's standard raised? 8. What change in Charles' character? 
fl. What of his supply of money? 10. Where and when was the first battle fousrhl ? 
What of the parliament's troops? 11,12. What of the king's troops? Whose aid did 



OLIVER CRCMWELL. 



311 



troops into the field. But it was not till 1644 that they gained any 
decisive victory. The first was at Marston Moor, about nine miles 
from York. The battle was fought in opposition to the advice of the 
Marquis of Newcastle ; and he, despairing to benefit a cause where 
such rash counsels prevailed, gave up his command the morning after 
the conflict, and retired to Holland. After this there was a cessation 
of arms, and the country enjoyed a few months of rest, during which 
an attempt was made to reconcile the two parties. 



CHAPTER CLXIX. 

Oliver Cromwell. — Anecdotes of his Childhood. — His Character 
when he first appeared in Public Life. — About his Ironsides 




Oliver Cromwell. 

/ 

1. During the progress of the events just narrated, the republican 
party in the house, who in religion were known as Independents, had 
been gradually gaining the ascendency. The chief leader of this 
party was Oliver Cromwell. This man, who was destined to act a 
very important part in the world, was born at Huntingdon, April 25th, 
1599. There is a curious story told of a narrow escape which he had, 



the parliament solicit ? 13. In what battle were the parliament's troops victorious for 
the first time? 
CLXIX. — 1. What party gained the ascendency in parliament? Who was their 



312 ANECDOTES OF CROMWELL'S CHILDHOOD. 

when »n infant, from the mischievous tricks of a monkey. He had 
been Hken to visit his grandfather, old Sir Henry Cromwell, at Hinch- 
inhroke, and while his nurse was out of the way, a great monkey, 
v'Jticfi was allowed to run loose about the house, snatched him out of 
*'*} cradle, and ran with him upon the roof. 

2. Here it was seen dancing about, with the child in its arms, to 
ne great terror of the whole family. It was impossible to attempt to 
:atch the animal ; the only thing that could be done was to place 
eather-beds and carpets all round the house, for the child to fall on, 

in case the monkey should let him drop. However, after some time, 
the creature returned down into the house by the way it had got up, 
and brought the boy back in safety. From his infancy, Cromwell 
was distinguished by the activity of his body and of his mind. In 
cricket, football, and other athletic sports, he always took the lead. 

3. There is another incident which is said to have happened at 
Hinchinbroke, which is not so well authenticated. It is related, that 
Oliver was there at a time when King James and his son Charles were 
on a visit to that hospitable mansion, and that the two boys quarrelled. 
Oliver was at an age and of a character to make little distinction be- 
tween royal and plebeian blood, and, as the story goes, gave the prince 
a sound druobing ; which circumstance wiseacres in after times are 
glad to bring up, as an illustration of the saying, that " coming events 
cast their shadows before." 

4. The study of the law was too sedentary an occupation to suit 
Cromwell's active disposition ; so, relinquishing that pursuit, at the 
age of twenty-one he married and retired into the country, where he 
turned puritan, and soon became distinguished as a preacher and ex- 
pounder of scripture. In 1626, he was elected member of parliament, 
and was a warm opposer of the crown. Having, in the support of 
his religious opinions, much impaired his fortunes, in 1637, he agreed 
with Hampden, Pym, and some other disaffected persons, to leave 
England, and establish a settlement in America on republican prin- 
ciples. 

5. They and their families were already embarked, and the ships 
were on the point of sailing, when the king, in an evil hour for him- 
self, forbade their departure. As his character became known, 
Cromwell acquired a wonderful influence over the minds of men, and 
this is to be ascribed solely to the powers of his mind, for he had none 
of that address or pleasing exterior which is generally necessary to 
obtain popularity. He knew the precise moment when a thing was 
to be done ; and he had that wonderful penetration into people's char- 
acters, that he seemed almost to see into their hearts, and read their 
thoughts. 

6. With all this, he could neither write nor speak with common 
ability. He had a vehement manner, which made people suppose 
there was some great matter in his speeches ; but it was a hidden 
matter, for they were generally so confused, that it was almost im- 

leader? When was Cromwell born? 2, 3. Relate the anecdotes of his childhood. 
4 Relate the particulars of his life till 1637. What project did he engage in then 7 
How was it defeated? 5. What of his character? 6, 7. In what power was he defi- 



BATTLE OF MARSTON MOOR. — 1614. 313 

possible to find out his meaning. We will give a passage from one 
of his speeches, and the reader may make sense of it if he can. 

7. " I confess, for it behoves me to deal plainly with you, I must 
confess, I would say I hope I may be understood in this, for indeed I 
must be tender in what I say to such an audience as this, I say I 
would be understood that in this argument I do not make a parallel 
between men of a different mind, and a parliament which shall have 
their deserts. 1 " The whole speech is in the same strain ; but this is 
doubtless enough. 

8. Cromwell was, at this period of his life, a sloven in his dress, 
which was the more conspicuous at a time when gentlemen's attire 
was unusually graceful. A royalist memoir writer thus speaks of 
him. " The first time that 1 ever took notice of him, was in Novem- 
ber, 1640. When I came one morning to the house of commons, I 
perceived a gentleman speaking, very ordinarily apparelled ; for it 
was a plain suit, which seemed to have been made by an ill country 
tailor. His linen was plain, and not very clean, and I remember a 
speck of blood upon his hand. 

9. " His stature was of a good size ; his countenance swollen and 
reddish ; his voice harsh and untunable, and his eloquence full of 
fervor." Cromwell's appearance, however, was afterwards im- 
proved ; for the same writer adds, " I lived to see this very gentle- 
man, by multiplied good successes, and by real (though usurped) 
power, having had a better tailor, and more converse among good 
company, appear of a great and majestic deportment, and comely 
presence." 

10. At length hostilities commenced between the king and the pai 
liament, and a scene of action more agreeable to Cromwell's character 
was opened to him. It was chiefly owing to his exertions and activ- 
ity that the parliament's army became so well disciplined and organized. 
He raised a body of cavalry among the hardy young farmers, which 
he commanded in person. It was Cromwell and his Ironsides, as his 
troop was called, from their unyielding courage, that gained the vic- 
tory at Marston Moor ; for in the early part of the day fortune had 
inclined to the royal side. 



CHAPTER CLXX. 

The Battle of Naseby decides the Contest. — The King takes 
refuge with the Scots. — Is sold by them to the Parliament. 
— He is seized by the Army. — Cromwell lays aside the mask. 

1. The Earl of Essex, with many others w r ho had joined the par- 
liament side with a wish to redress grievances, and not to overthrow 
the monarchy, were now anxious to make an accommodation with the 

cient? 8. What of his personal habits and appearance '.' 10. What of his military 
talents? What was his body of troops called ? Why? 
27 



314 BATTLE OF NASEBY. — 164G. 

king ; but they were overruled by the independents. Essex waa 
obliged to resign the command of the army, which was given to Lord 
Fairfax, an honest, easy man, who was the mere tool of Cromwell, 
who was next in command. This was a very clever contrivance on 
the part of the latter ; for, if things went well, he had the advantage ; 
if they went ill, Fairfax had the blame. 

2. Many thought that the cause of the parliament would be much 
injured by this change ; but the event proved them to be wrong ; for 
after the renewal of the war, their troops were everywhere victorious. 
The battle which decided the contest was fought near Naseby, June 
14th, 1646. The king, as he was marching northwards with his 
army, received information that Fairfax, with his troops, which he 
supposed to be in another part of the country, was within five miles 
of him. 

3. He halted, and called a council of war, in which he proposed to 
remain where he was till all his forces could be collected ; but the 
eagerness of Rupert's temper prevailed over the better judgment of 
the king, and persuaded him to march immediately against Fairfax. 
The king showed himself to be a prudent general and a valorous sol- 
dier. Had he been opposed to Fairfax alone, he probably would have 
prevailed. But Cromwell and his Ironsides brought terror and con- 
quest wherever they appeared. 

4. The king's troops could not stand their onset, but gave way. 
Charles exhorted his cavalry to rally, by calling out to them, " One 
charge more, and we recover the day !" But the day was too far 
lost to be regained. Cromwell gained a complete victory ; and 
Charles was obliged to abandon his artillery and baggage to the 
enemy. Amongst other things which fell into their hands was a cab- 
inet, containing copies of the king's private letters to the queen, which 
the parliament published. 

5. After the battle of Naseby, the king's affairs went fast to ruin. 
At length his condition became so desperate, that there seemed to be 
no alternative but to wait and be taken prisoner by the army of the 
triumphant parliament, or to throw himself upon the tender mercies 
of an army of Scots, who were engaged in the cause of the parliament. 
He chose the latter, and accordingly set out one night in the begin- 
ning of May, 1646, disguised as the servant of Mr. Ashburnham, who 
accompanied him. He reached the camp in safety 

6. The Scottish generals were much surprised to see the king ; 
and though they affected to treat him with great respect, they placed 
a guard upon him, and made him in reality a prisoner. The preach- 
ers did not restrain their zeal, but insulted him to his face. One of 
these fanatics, in a sermon preached before the king, reproached him 
severely, and ordered the fifty-second psalm to be sung : 

" Why dost thou, tyrant, boast thyself, 
Thy wicked deeds to praise?" 

On this the king stood up, and, with a dignity and meekness that 



CLXX. — 1. What change in the command of the army ? 2. What resulted from this 
change? What battle decided the contest'.' 5. What became of the king after the 
battle ? 6. How vvas he treated hy the Scots ? 7. What negotiation between the parlia? 



SEIZURE OF CHARLES BY THE ARMY. — 1647. 315 

touched even the rigid enthusiasts, called for the nfty -sixth Psalm in 
turn : 

" Have mercy, Lord, on me, I pray, 
For men would me devour 1 ' 

which was sung accordingly. 

7. The king was now obliged to issue orders for all his troops tc 
submit. The Marquis of Worcester, who was above eighty-four 
years of age, held out his castle of Rayland till it was reduced to 
the utmost extremity, and was the last man in England who laid 
down his arms. As soon as the parliament knew that the king was 
in the hands of the Scots, it began to treat with them for the pos- 
session of his person. The Scots finally agreed to surrender him, 
upon receiving 400,000 pounds sterling, which was due to them, as 
pay. 

8. A private letter, giving information of the bargain, was brought 
to Charles while he was playing at chess ; and his self-command 
was so great, that he continued his game without betraying, by his 
countenance or manner, that he had received any distressing news. 
In a few days he was given up to commissioners, appointed by par- 
liament, from whom he selected Mr. Herbert and Mr. Harrington, 
to attend upon him in the place of his own servants, who had been 
dismissed. 

9. The war being at an end, the parliament was desirous of dis- 
banding the army ; but the officers and soldiers found it more for their 
interest to remain together. Cromwell continued at his place in par- 
liament, but secretly kept up his correspondence with the disaffected 
troops, and by his advice they formed the bold design of taking pos- 
session of the king's person. An officer named Joyce was sent with 
five hundred men to seize him. This man, armed with pistols, made 
his way into the king's presence, and told him that he must come 
along with him. 

10. The king asked by what warrant he acted, and Joyce answered 
by pointing to his soldiers, who were a fine body of men. drawn up in 
the court-yard. The king said, smiling, " Your warrant is indeed 
written in fair characters and legible," and immediately accompanied 
him to the head-quarters of the army. 

11., The parliament were thrown into the utmost consternation 
when they heard of this, and beginning to see through Cromwell's 
designs, resolved to commit him to the Tower ; but he eluded their 
purpose, and hastened to the army, where he was received with ac- 
clamations of joy. A body of troops was sent to London, and both 
the city and the parliament were subjected to the authority of Crom- 
wel., who now became the acknowledged chief of his party. 

ment and the Scots? 8. What instance of Charles' self command? What was done 
with him .< 9. What of the troops? What design was formed? By whom executed? 
11. What of Cromwell? 



316 CHARLES ATTEMPTS TO ESCAPE. — 1647. 



CHAPTEK CLXXI. 

Cromwell discovers the Insincerity of the King. — The latter 
attempts to escape, but is detained in the Isle of Wight. — 
His manner of Life there. — Colonel Pride's Purge. 

1. The situation of the king was now more comfortable than it 
had been for some time. He was allowed to worship God according 
to the forms of his own faith ; and he frequently had the happiness 
of seeing two of his children, Henry and Elizabeth. Cromwe'i, who 
was present at one of these interviews, confessed that he hai never 
witnessed such a touching scene. It is said that Cromwe'i at this 
time was ready to come to terms with the king, but that the discovery 
of his insincerity and double dealing, a proneness to whi'.h was the 
greatest defect in Charles' character, made him abandon ?J1 thoughts 
of it. 

2. It will be remembered that there were two powerful bodies, 
the army, with Cromwell at its head, who were supported by the 
independents, and the more moderate party of Presbyterians, who 
had a majority in the parliament, and who were in correspondence 
with their religious brethren in Scotland. One day Cromwell re- 
ceived information that the king, contrary to his professions, had 
secretly made an arrangement with his political opponents, and that 
he and the other leaders of the independents were doomed to destruc 
tion. 

3. He also received information that Charles had written a letter 
to his wife, giving the details of the plan ; and that this letter would 
be sewed up in the flap of a saddle, which would be brought, at ten 
o'clock at night, to a certain inn at London, by a man who would 
saddle a horse and ride off to Dover. Upon this information, Crom- 
well, with another leader of his party, named Ireton, went on the 
appointed night to this inn, disguised as troopers. They left some 
person to keep watch at the stable, who was to tell them if any man 
came with a saddle, and they themselves went into the house, and 

, sat drinking beer like common soldiers. 

4. At the specified hour they had notice that the man was come. 
They then went out, and taking the saddle away from him, openad 
the lining, and found the letter. They then returned the man his 
saddle, and he, knowing nothing of his loss, pursued his way to 
Dover. The letter confirmed the information which Cromwell had 
before received, as to the intentions of the king, and from that hour 
he vowed his destruction. 

5. Charles lived in constant apprehension of being murdered by 
some of the religious fanatics, and his fears at length drove him to 
attempt his escape from the country. He reached the coast of 
Hampshire in safety, but his usual fortune attended him ; for the 

CLXXI. —1. Whit of the kins's condition? 2. 3. 4. Relate the anecdote of the kine's 
<lou'l>le-deal'mg. ■">. Relate the particulars of ihe kind's att.pn 1 "! to escape. Whnro y.-._j 



COLONEL PRIDE'S PURGE. -1643. 317 

vessel which he expected to find there had not arrived. R* then 
sought refuge in the Isle of Wight, which was held for the parlia- 
ment by Colonel Hammond. Here he was once more made a pris- 
oner, and on being placed in close confinement in Carisbrook Castle, 
Herbert and Harrington alone were allowed to attend upon him. 

6. Colonel Hammond behaved with great feeling towards his 
royal prisoner, and allowed him every indulgence in his power. He 
caused a bowling green to be prepared outside the castle, and built 
a summer-house upon it. Bowling was one of Charles' favorite 
amusements ; and he could enjoy from the summer-house a better 
view of. the sea, than from the melancholy walls of his prison. A 
part of the day the king always set aside for his devotions, and he 
spent much of his time alone writing in his chamber. 

7. The rest of the day he employed in reading, in exercise, and 
in conversing with his two attendants, who were both of them accom- 
plished men, particularly Mr. Herbert, who had travelled much in Persia 
and other countries of the East. The zeal of the puritan preachers 
brought some of them to Carisbrook, with the intention of preaching 
before the king ; but he civilly declined hearing their sermons. 

8. In September, 1648, he entered into a new treaty with com- 
missioners sent by parliament, which had for a time recovered some 
of its authority. When the king met the commissioners, an affecting 
change was perceived to have taken place in his aspect since the' pre- 
ceding year. His countenance was pale and dejected ; his hair was 
turned white, and it brought tears into the eyes of the spectators, to 
see his "gray and discrowned head." These words are from a 
sonnet which he composed about this time. 

9. The treaty was seemingly drawing to a favorable conclusion, 
when Cromwell, by one daring act, annihilated the power of parlia- 
ment, and destroyed all Charles' hopes of security. On the 7th of 
December, 1648, he sent Colonel Pride with a body of troops to 
summon the parliament-house, a little before the time when the mem- 
bers were to assemble, with orders to exclude all who did not belong 
to the independent and republican party. 

10. Those who were disposed to make merry with this dethroning 
of a portion of those who had dethroned the king, gave to this exclu- 
sion the name of Colonel Pride's purge, by which it is at this day 
commonly known. Those members of parliament who were admitted, 
about fifty or sixty in number, immediately appointed themselves 
governors of the kingdom, and declared that no further negotiations 
should be had with the "king. 

he afterwards confined ? 6,7. How did he spend his time? 8. When were negotiations 
renewed with the parliament ? 9. What put an end to the power of the parliament 1 
When? In what manner? 

27* 



313 



HURST CASTLE. — 1648 



CHAPTER CLXXII. 

Charles is tried for High Treason. — His Execution. 




Trial of Charles I. 

1. Before his attack on the parliament, Cromwell had secured 
the possession of the king's person ; for, two days before that purg- 
ing, Charles had been removed by his orders to Hurst Castle, a 
dreary fortress on the coast of Hampshire, one of the counties of Eng- 
land, and which, at high tide, was nearly surrounded by the sea. In 
this melancholy place the king passed nearly a month. The room he 
generally sat in was so dark as to require candles at noonday, and his 
only recreation was in walking up and down the narrow sand-bank 
that connected the castle with the main land, and in watching the 
ships that sailed past his prison. 

2. Charles supposed that he had been brought to this lonely place 
for the purpose of being murdered, and lived in the full expectation 
that each day would be his last. One night he was waked from his 
sleep by hearing the drawbridge of the castle let down, and soon 
after he heard the clatter of horsemen in the court. His alarm was 
not lessened when he learned that Major Harrison had arrived, for he 
had been warned that this person was one of those who intended to 
kill him. 

3. He was soon informed, however, that the object of the major's 
coming was to convey him to Windsor, and he was not sorry to leave 
Hurst Castle, even under such an escort. Though Charles had 

CLXXII. — 1. To what place was Charles removed by Cromwell? 3. What was the 



TK1AL OF CHARLES FOR HIGH TREASON. — 164*9. 319 

lived in the daily expectation of a violent death, it had not occurred 
to his mind that he, a king', could be accused and brought to trial as a 
criminal, by his own subjects ; an indignity which royalty till then had 
never suffered. He was not prepared, therefore, for the information 
that, on the 6th of January, 1649, an accusation, or, as it is called, 
an impeachment, of high treason had been brought against him, for 
having- presumed to appear in arms against the parliament. 

4. On the 18th of January, Charles was removed from Windsor 
to the royal palace in London, called St. James" 1 •palace. This was, 
until quite recently, the residence of the sovereigns of Great Britain, 
and is still made use of upon state occasions ; whence the name, 
Court of St. James, frequently applied to the British government. 
Charles was now treated with more severity ; his guards and attend- 
ants were ordered to conduct towards him as being no longer a sover- 
eign, and to call him merely Charles Stuart. His own servants 
were not permitted to wait on him at table, and common soldiers, in 
their armor, were appointed to bring him his meals. 

5. Charles was much shocked at this disrespect, but, soon recov- 
ering his composure, said, " Nothing is so contemptible as a despised 
king;" and, to avoid the disagreeable attendance of the soldiers, 
ate alone in his bed-chamber. The preparations for the trial were 
soon made, and on the 20th of January, 1649, the judges assembled 
in Westminster Hall for that purpose. The names were called over, 
and on the name of Fairfax being spoken, a voice from among the 
spectators called out, " He has more wit than to be here ;" and when, 
in the articles of impeachment, the king was said to be accused " in 
the name of the people of England," the same voice exclaimed, " Not 
a tenth part of them!" 

6. The soldiers were ordered to fire at the spot from whence the 
voice had proceeded ; but on its being discovered that Lady Fairfax 
was the speaker, they, in consideration of her sex and rank, did not 
fire. Lady Fairfax had been a warm politician, and had urged her 
husband to oppose the king ; but now, seeing that the struggle was 
likely to end in his sacrifice, and the exaltation of Cromwell, they 
both heartily repented of the part they had taken. On the 27th of 
January, Charles was declared guilty of having appeared in arms 
against the parliament, and sentenced to be beheaded on the third day 
after. 

7. As he passed along the streets, the soldiers uttered the most 
insulting and unfeeling cries. Some even spit upon him ; but one 
uttered a blessing, for which his officer struck him to the ground. 
The king, observing it, said, " The punishment, methinks, exceeds 
the offence." On the day preceding that fixed for his execution, 
he was permitted to see his son Henry and daughter Elizabeth ; of 
the rest of his children, two were in Holland, and one, Henrietta, in 
France. 

8. Henry was only seven years old, and his father said to him, as 
he sat upon his knee, " Mark, my child, what I say : they will cut 

next step adopted by his enemies? 4. What treatment did he now receive? 5. How 
did he bear it? What occurred at his trial? 8. What occurred at his interview with 



320 



EXECUTION OF THE KING. — 1649. 



off my head, and will want, perhaps, to make thee king; but thou 
must not be king, so long as thy brothers Charles and James are 
alive : therefore, I charge thee, do not be made a king by them." 
The child looked earnestly in his father's face, and exclaimed, " I 
will be torn in pieces first!" — an answer that made the king shed 
tears. 




Charles I. taking leave of his family. 

9. On the 30th of January, 1649, Charles was led, through an 
opening made in the wall of the banqueting-room of the palace of 
Whitehall, to a scaffold erected in front of that building. He ad- 
dressed a few words to those about him ; he declared himself innocent 
towards his people ; but acknowledged that the execution of an unjust 
sentence was now deservedly punished by an unjust sentence inflicted 
on himself; so heavily did the death of Strafford still press upon 
his heart. Turning to Bishop Juxton, who attended him, he said, 
" Remember " and then laid his head upon the block. One blow- 
severed it from the body, and the executioner, holding it up, said, 
" This is the head of a traitor !" 

10. Those present were curious, as the reader may be, to know 
what the king meant by the word " Remember," and called upon 
Juxton to explain it. He said that it was meant to enforce the king's 
earnest injunction, that he would exhort the prince, his son, to forgive 
his father's murderers. Charles was in the 49th year of his age, and 
the 25th of his reign. It will be less interruption to our story to 
state at once what became of his family. The queen lived in France 
uncomfortably enough, on a pension allowed her by Louis XIV., 
who was her nephew. 

11. This pension must have been very small, or ill paid, as 
her daughter, Henrietta, was at one time obliged to remain in bed 



his children? 9. When was he executed? Relate the particulars of his execution 



FAMILY OF CHARLES I. 



321 



for want of fuel to make a fire. When Prince Charles, her son, 
became King- of England, as you shall hear presently, the queen re- 
turned to England ; hut she interfered so much in public affairs, that 
her son was obliged to send her back to France, where she died in 
1669. Prince Charles was eighteen years old when his father died, 
and of him, and his brother James, and sister Mary, we shall hereafter 
have more to sav. 




Execution of Charles I. 

12. The parliament wished to bring Prince Henry up to some me- 
chanical traae ; but Cromwell sent him abroad to his mother. He 
died at an early age, leaving an excellent character behind him. Th6 
Princess Elizabeth was to have been apprenticed to a button-maker ; 
but her death, caused, it is said, by grief for her father's fate, pre- 
vented the execution of the intention. The Princess Henrietta was 
unfortunate from the beginnitig to the end of her life. 

13. She was born after the commencement of the civil war, and 
brought up at the dissipated court of Louis XIV., of France. She 
married that king's brother, the Duke of Orleans, and behaved in such 
a manner as to give him just displeasure ; she died suddenly, in the 
pride of youth and beauty, and is supposed to have been poisoned by 
her husband. How enviable was the fate of a little sister compared 
with hers ! 



10 How old was he? 
king's children ? 

21 



What became of the queen? 12, 13, 14. What became of tha 



322 ANECDOTES OF CHARLES I. 

14. This little princess, being only four years old, lay upon hei 
death-bed. One of her attendants desired her to pray. She said she 
could not say her long prayer, meaning the Lord's prayer, but that 
she would try to say her short one : " Lighten my darkness, O Lord ! 
and let me not sleep the sleep of death." She then laid her little head 
on the pillow and expired. 

FAMILY OF CHARLES I. 
WIFE. 

Henrietta Maria, daughter of Henry IV., called the Great, King of France. 

CHILDREN. 

1. Charles, Prince of Wales, > aflerwards Kin g S f England in succession. 

3. James, Duke of York, ) 

6. Henry, Duke of Gloucester. 

2. Mary married the Prince of Orange. 

4. Elizabeth died young. 

5. Anna, who died before her father's death. 

7. Henrietta, Duchess of Orleans. 



CHAPTER CLXXIII. 

Anecdotes of Charles L— The Icon Basilihe. — Inigo J ones. ~ 
The Public Buildings mutilated by the Puritans. — William 
Harvey. — The Sect of Quakers rises. 

1. The late king had many well-wishers and warm friends, but 
these were, in general, helpless people, or persons who had already 
exhausted all their means in his cause. But they took various meth- 
ods of making known the sympathy which they felt for him in his 
misfortunes, and, at the risk of being punished by the parliament, 
showed him many little acts of kindness. 

2. As he was on his way to his prison at Carisbrook Castle, one 
day in November, a lady presented him with a damask rose, which 
had blown in her garden at that unusual season. The gift, to be 
sure, was nothing in itself; but, as showing the feelings of the giver, 
was of great value to the poor prisoner. The day before his execu- 
tion, one of his old servants sent his humble duty to him, and begged 
he would read the second chapter of Ecclesiastes. The king sent his 
thanks to the good old man for his kind remembrance of him, and im- 
mediately read the chapter with much satisfaction. He was in the 
habit of reading the Bible every day, and found in it his best support 
and consolation in his afflictions. 

3. A few days after the death of Charles, a book was published, 
called Icon Basilike, or, as these words have been rendered, "The 
king's portraiture in his solitudes and his sufferings. " This book pur- 
ports to have been written by the king, and so general was the belief, 

CLXXIII. —1, 2. What of the king's friends? What of the Ieon Basilike? What 



MUTILATION OF THE PUBLIC BUILDINGS. - 1649. 323 

that it passed through fifty editions in one year. The authorship of 
this book is still a matter of dispute ; but most persons suppose the 
real author to have been Dr. Gauden, afterwards Bishop of Exeter. 

4. Charles was fond of literature, and was found fault with by 
some for paying more attention to style in writing than was propei 
for a great monarch. He was also a lover of pictures, and sometimes 
handled the pencil himself. The pieces of foreign masters were 
bought up at a vast price ; and the value of pictures doubled in Eu- 
rope in consequence of the rivalry of Charles and Philip IV. of Spain 
to possess themselves of the best. All the king's pictures were sold 
by order of parliament, who carried their hatred of royalty to such a 
length as to cause some of the royal palaces to be pulled in pieces, and 
the materials to be sold. 

5. Many of these palaces had been built or improved by Inigo Jones, 
a celebrated architect, much favored by Charles and by his father. 
Jones incurred the displeasure of parliament by his fidelity to his royal 
master, and for having, in rebuilding the great church of St. Paul"s in 
London, pulled down some houses to make room for it, in obedience 
to the orders of the government. The Puritans considered these great 
churches and cathedrals as remnants of Popery, and took especial de- 
light in destroying and disfiguring them. 

6. The beautiful painted glass in the windows, the statues of the 
saints on the outside, and even the monuments of the dead, were de- 
stroyed. The lead was stripped from the roofs, and the brass plates 
from the tombs, and used for making bullets and cannon. Many of 
the cathedrals were used as barracks. In Chichester Cathedral, the 
place is pointed out where Cromwell's soldiers littered down their 
horses. The king's library at St. James' palace, was saved by the 
prudence of John Selden, a distinguished scholar and philosopher, one 
of the liberal party in politics, though opposed to the extreme meas- 
ures of his friends. 

7. Most of the men of genius and ability who lived at this time 
were on the side of the parliament. But William Harvey, who dis- 
covered the circulation of the blood and the proper office of the heart 
in animals, was the king's physician, and the king took much interest 
in his investigations. This important discovery occasioned a great 
loss of practice to its author. So absurd did the doctrine appear, 
which now seems so clear that it is absurd to doubt its truth. 

8. The patience and resignation with which Charles bore his mis- 
fortunes excites our sympathy, but it should not prevent our doing 
justice to the motives and character of his opponents. Many, if not 
most, of the leaders were actuated by the most conscientious regard 
for the public good, without any personal feelings of selfishness or 
ambition. In private life, the members of this party were, on the 
whole, far more estimable in their conduct than the royalists. 

9. There is one sect of Christians which arose about this time, 
whose pure morals and peaceful lives make them worthy of regard. 

of Charles' taste for learning and the arts? 5. What of Inigo Jones ? 6 How were tha 
pnlilic edifices treated by the Puritans? Who saved the "royal library? 7 What of 
William Harvey ? 9. What of the Quakers ? 



304 ENGLAND A COMMONWEALTH. — 1649. 

This was the sect of Quakers. The founder was George Fox, who 
was born of poor parents, and bound apprentice to a shoemaker. He 
was never a student of books, but the great success of his preaching 
is a proof that he had studied human nature to some purpose. 



CHAPTER CLXXIV. 

England a Commonwealth. — Incident connected with the Siege 
of Pontefract Castle. — The Scots invite Prince Charles to 
be their King. — They are defeated at Dunbar by Crom- 
W ell. — Charles marches into England and is defeated at 
Worcester. 

1 The first act of parliament, after the death of the king, was to 
abolish the house of lords, as being useless and dangerous. A new 
jrreat seal of England was made, with this legend, as the inscription 
on a seal is called, " The first year of Freedom, by God s blessing, 
restored 1648." In 1633, an equestrian statue of brass had been 
erected in honor of King Charles. The parliament ordered this, 
which was the first equestrian statue set up in England, to be broken 
in pieces and sold for old brass. The state, under its new form of 
government, was called The Commonwealth of England. 

2 It was made high treason, which is the highest crime against 
any government, to call Prince Charles by any other name than Charles 
Stuart. But some of his friends had the courage to print and distrib- 
ute a paper proclaiming him King of England. Small bands of the 
royalists still maintained themselves in different parts of the country, 
chiefly in the fortified castles. These were all subdued, and the cas- 
tles, for the most part, destroyed, to prevent their again becoming a 
source of annoyance. There is quite a romantic story told about the 
final capture and destruction of one of these. 

3 Pontefract Castle had been taken and retaken more than once 
durino- the war, and in 1649 was held by a party of Nottinghamshire 
gentlemen, who valiantly defended themselves. Cromwell himself 
had gone to Ireland, from which quarter the English had reason to 
apprehend the most danger, since the Irish were almost all royalists. 
He therefore sent Lambert, one of his generals, to reduce Pontefract 
Castle. The garrison were soon obliged to solicit terms ; and Lam- 
bert agreed that, on giving up the castle, all the garrison should have 
leave to depart in safety, six persons excepted, whose names he men- 
tioned, who, having been particularly active against the parliament, 
must be put to death. . 

4. The garrison could not bear the thought of giving up any ot 
their brother soldiers to certain destruction, and demanded of Lambert 
that they might have six days allowed them before they surrendered 

CLXXIV — 1. What did parliament do after the king's death? What was the state 
called/ What of tiu royalists? 3. What of Pontefract Castle? 7. Who supported 



BATTLE OF DUNBAR. - 1650. 325 

the castle ; during which it should be permitted for their six compan- 
ions to use any honorable means of making their escape. Lambert 
granted their desire, saying that he knew these six persons to be brave 
and gallant gentlemen, and that, if he might, he would gladly save 
them all. 

5. During the first four days the garrison made frequent sallies, 
and four of the six contrived to effect their escape. Sir Hugh Cart- 
wright and one other remained behind ; and they, being unwilling to 
expose any more of the lives of their friends, contrived another way 
of saving themselves. They found a convenient nook amongst the 
walls, where they caused themselves to be walled up with a month's 
provisions, trusting to the hope that the king's troops would retake 
the castle in that time. 

6. The rest of the garrison then sent word to Lambert that they 
were ready to surrender. When they had left the castle, Lambert, 
luckily for the two immured heroes, destroyed the castle, and left the 
place in ruins. Sir Hugh and his companion, after ten days, finding 
alljmiet, left their hiding-place, and made their escape. 

7. It might naturally be expected that the Irish, who were for the 
most part, Roman Catholics, should be opposed to the parliament ; 
but this body was also opposed to the Scottish Presbyterians, who 
refused to acknowledge the English republic, and, resolving to adhere 
to the monarchy, invited Charles to take possession of the throne ; but 
upon such hard conditions that his best friends counselled him not to 
make such sacrifices for the empty title of king. But Charles, who 
entertained, probably, the dishonest intention of breaking his promise 
as soon as his power was established, agreed to everything, and went 
to Scotland. 

8. He found his situation in that country comfortless enough. He 
was treated with none of the respect usually paid to a sovereign ; and 
was, indeed, little better than a helpless prisoner in the hands of mer- 
ciless tormentors. He was naturally of a lively disposition, and de- 
lighted only in gayety ; but. he was not allowed to enter into any kind 
of amusements, and was harassed from morning till night by the cov- 
enanters, who sought, by dint of sermons and exhortations, to convert 
him to their faith; 

9. Under these circumstances, he was secretly rejoiced to learn 
that Cromwell, who in a few months had reduced Ireland to subjec- 
tion, was now advancing with a powerful army to drive him from his 
uneasy throne. Cromwell posted himself at Dunbar, where he was 
attacked on Sept. 3d, 1G50, by the Scots under General Leslie. 
I hough twice as numerous as the English, these met with a terrible 
defeat, and Cromwell would soon have made himself entire master of 
the kingdom, had he not been attacked with a violent fit of illness, 
and obliged to return to England. 

10. But the next year he again entered Scotland, and advanced 
so far into the country as to leave the army of the royalists between 
himself and England. Charles, seeing the road to, England open, 

the rights of Prince Charles? 8. What of Charles' situation in Scotland ? 9. When am] 
where was the bailie between the Scots and English fought ? 10. What bold project die 

28 



13-26 



DEFEAT OF THE ROYALISTS AT WORCESTER. — 1651. 



formed the bold resolution of marching forward into that country, be- 
lieving- that he should there be joined by all his friends. But he was 
deceived in this hope, and he arrived at Worcester with only his 
14,000 Scots. 

11. Cromwell, when he found that Charles had slipped by him, 
left his army in Scotland under the command of General Monk, and 
followed him with all possible expedition, calling- upon the people of 
the country through which he passed to join him in repelling the in- 
vaders. The call was promptly obeyed, so that by the time he 
reached Worcester he mustered a considerable force. The next day, 
Sept. 3d, 1651, he surrounded the town with his troops, and, attack- 
ing the royal army, soon destroyed it. 



CHAPTER CLXXV. 

Adventures of Charles after the Battle of Worcester. 




King Charles in the oak. 

1. After a desperate resistance, Charles was forced to seeK. 
safety in flight, and he did not stop till he reached Whiteladies, a 
house twenty-six miles from Worcester, on the borders of Shrop- 

Charles form? 11. What did Cromwell do? When and where were Charles' troops 
defeated ? 



ADVENTURES OF CHARLES II. — 1651. 327 

shire and Staffordshire, and occupied by a stanch royalist named 
George Penderill. The prince met. with a most kind reception ; but it 
was thought that he would be safer at a place called Boscobel, situated 
about a mile distant on a wild hilly common, where lived Richard 
Penderill, a brother of George's. 

2. Richard was sent for, and soon arrived. What followed we 
will give in the words of the narrative, which was published in the 
king's name after his restoration. " Richard was no sooner come in 
than he was called upon to make haste and bring his best clothes, 
which were a jump and breeches of green, coarse cloth, and a doe- 
skin leather doublet ; the hat was borrowed of Humphrey Penderill 
the miller, being an old gray one, that turned up its brims ; the 
shirt, which in that country language they called hurden, of cloth 
that is made of the coarsest of the hemp, was had of one Edward 
Martin, George's band, and William Creswell's shoes, which, the 
king, having unstripped himself of his own clothes, did nimbly put 
on. 

3. " His buff coat and linen doublet, and a gay pair of breeches, 
which he wore before, were buried in the ground. The jewels off his 
arm he gave to one of the lords who attended him. Then Richard 
came with a pair of shears and rounded the king's hair, which my 
Lord Wilmot having before cut with a knife, had untowardly notched ; 
and the king was pleased to take notice of his good barbering, so as 
to prefer his work before my Lord Wilmot's ; and now his majesty 
was u la mode the woodman." 

i. Taking an axe in his hand, Charles proceeded to a neighboring 
wood, where he passed the day without being discovered by the 
enemy's troops, who had come to Whiteladies in search of him. At 
night-fall he went to Boscobel, where he ate a hearty supper, and then 
started for Wales, whence he hoped to escape into France. But after 
one night and day spent in a barn at Madeby, he returned to Boscobel. 
Here he found Colonel Carelsss, who had been his companion in arms 
at Worcester. 

5. Being told that it was dangerous for them either to remain in 
the house or to go again into the wood, they both mounted into a 
large oak. This tree had been lopped three or four years before, and 
being grown out very bushy and thick, could not be seen through ; 
but the fugitives could see the soldiers passing backward and forward, 
searching for them. Notwithstanding his perilous situation, Charles 
enjoyed a good nap, resting his head in the colonel's lap. When he 
awoke he was very hungry, and his friend regaled him with some 
bread and cheese, which Penderill's provident dame had not for- 
gotten. 

6. It was not deemed safe for Charles to remain long in one part 
of the country ; accordingly, at night, on the 7th of September, he set 
out for Morseby. His feet were so bruised and galled that he could 
not walk ; so Humphrey, the miller, mounted him on his mill-horse, 
and thus he made his journey in safety. On the 9th he went to the 

CLXXV. — 1. Whither did Charles fly after his defeat at Worcester? 2, 3, 4. Relate 
what took Dlace while he remained at Boscobel. In what did he find refuge during part 



328 SUCCESSFUL WAR WITH HOLLAND. - 1652. 






house of Colonel Lane, a steady royalist, whose wife, Mrs. Jane Lane, 
had some time before obtained permission from the parliament's gen- 
eral, to proceed with a servant to Leigh, near Bristol. 

7. It was arranged that Charles should act the servant. Accord- 
ingly, early on the 10th, having put on a suit of country gray cloth, 
and taking the name of William Jackson, he set out on horseback, 
with Mrs. Lane on a pillion behind him. They staid that night at the 
house of Mr. Tombs, at Long-Maston. Will Jackson, of course, 
passed the evening in the kitchen. The cook, a great rough country- 
woman, told him to wind up the roasting-jack for her. 

8. This was novel work for Charles, and he set about his task in 
such a blundering way, that the cook exclaimed to him in a passion, 
" What countryman are you, that you know not how to wind up a 
jack?" The king answered, with all appearance of humility, that he 
was a poor Staffordshire lad ; that they seldom had roast meat at 
home, and that when they had, they did not make use of a jack. 

9. On the 12th they arrived safely at Leigh. Upon the pretence 
that he was sick of an ague, a better chamber was provided for Will 
Jackson than servants are usually treated with ; and some of the best 
meat, a matter about which he seems to have been by no means indif- 
ferent, was sent to him from the master's table. 

10. We have not space to relate all Charles' romantic adventures 
and hair-breadth escapes, between this time and the 15th of October, 
when he succeeded in embarking at Shoreham in a small vessel, from 
which he was landed the next day in Normandy. During his wan- 
dering he was obliged to confide in a large number of persons, both 
of high and low degree ; but not one of them violated this confidence, 
notwithstanding an enormous sum of money was promised by parlia- 
ment to any person who would arrest him, and the most severe pun- 
ishment threatened to be inflicted upon all who should assist in con 
cealing him. 



CHAPTER CLXXVI. 

Success of the English in a War with Holland. — Cromwell 
makes himself sole Ruler. — Curious Names adopted by the 
Puritans. 

1. While Charles was wandering about, an unhappy fugitive, the 
party in power went on triumphantly. Monk was successful in Scot- 
land ; Ireton held everything quiet in Ireland. The fleets under Ad- 
mirals Blake and Ayscue, kept off foreign invaders, and reduced to 
obedience the colonies in America and the West Indies. The coun- 
try was now in a condition to demand redress for h.e injuries and 
insults that had been received from foreign states. 

of the time 1 6. Relate the particulars of his escape from Boscobel. What happened tu 
him till his final escape from the country? 



VIOLENT DISSOLUTION OF PARLIAMENT. — 1653. 



329 



2. The demand was first made upon Holland, which, from the 
superior excellence of her ships and the skill of her seamen, was sup- 
posed by herself and other countries to be invincible upon the ocean. 
But the British navy, manned by sailors whom the circumstances of 
the times had made bold and valiant, and commanded by the gallant 
Blake, soon convinced them of the contrary. For, with greatly inferior 
forces, he repeatedly gained victories over the veteran admirals Van 
Tromp, De Ruyter, and De Witt. 




Cromwell dissolving the Parliament. 
* 

3. But the parliament, who were the nominal rulers of the coun- 
try, were entitled to no share of the praise for these successes. A 
government, to be well administered, must have one efficient head. 
There were many men of ability in the parliament, but each had his 
own particular ideas about the best mode of carrying on the govern 
ment, which he would not surrender. 

4. Things could not long continue in this state ; the safety of all 
required a change. Whilst they were quarrelling about the best 
mode of steering, the good ship of state was in danger of being 
dashed to pieces on the rocks ; some one man must take possession of 
the helm ; and who should this be but Cromwell, to whose energy and 
watchfulness she had been indebted for her prosperous course thus 
far? 



CLXXVI. — 1. What of the successes of the parliament? 2. What demands on for- 
eign nations? With whai success against Holland ? 3, 4. What of the leaders in par- 
28* 



830 CROMWELL MAKES HUUSELr bOLE RULER. — 1653. 

5. He resolved to do so ; and his credit was too firmly established 
to need any artifice ; accordingly, on the 20th of April, 1653, he went 
to the parliament-house, while the members were assembled, and, 
placing a file of soldiers at the door, entered the hall and sat down. 
After sitting some time, he suddenly started up, exclaiming, " This is 
the time, — I must do it !" meaning, that what he was about to do, was 
to be done by the express command of God. We have already stated 
that the Puritans were remarkably strict in all religious observances. 

6. The Independents were the most rigid of Puritans; they took 
the Bible for their law book ; and, being ardent and enthusiastic, 
persuaded themselves that God took an immediate part in the affairs 
of the world, and made known his will to such as asked it of him 
by sincere and earnest prayer. Acting upon this belief, the leaders, 
on important occasions, resorted to prayer, and their decision was 
in accordance with the answer supposed to be returned — a very 
unsafe mode of proceeding, since, the interpretation resting with 
themselves, it would always be in correspondence with their own 
wishes. 

7. Thus, the execution of Charles was asserted to have been in 
compliance with a divine command directly made known to them. 
Doubtless, many of the Puritans were sincere ; perhaps some were 
hypocrites. The enemies of Cromwell say that he belonged to the 
latter class ; for a man of his great abilities, they assert, could not 
have so deceived himself. This, however, is one of the points in his- 
tory that can never be decided ; certain it is, that he exhibited every 
mark of sincerity. 

8. We shall now understand his exclamation. He had been seek- 
ing counsel from on high, and the result was now to be made known. 
Turning to the members he loaded them with reproaches ; he then 
stamped with his foot ; on which signal the soldiers entering the hall, 
he ordered them to drive all the members out; first saying, "You 
are no longer a parliament ; the Lord has chosen other instruments 
for carrying on his work. I have sought the Lord night and day, 
that he would rather slay me than put me upon this work." 

9. He stayed till the hall was cleared ; then ordering the door to 
be locked, he put the keys into his pocket, and returned to the 
palace at Whitehall, where he and his family had taken up their resi- 
dence. He was now the sole head of the government, and assumed 
more authority than even the most arbitrary of the kings had done. 
To keep up something of the appearance of a commonwealth, he 
summoned a parliament, consisting of the most ignorant religious 
fanatics. 

10. One of the chief orators in this parliament was one Barebone, 
hence it was called Barebone s parliament. The Puritans, to show 
their religious zeal, discarded the usual Christian names as being 
heathenish ; and adopted others which they deemed more holy. 
Even the New Testament names of James, Thomas, Peter, &c, 

iiament? 5. Relate the particulars of Cromwell's attack on the parliament. 9. What 
of the extent of his power? 10. What was the parliament called? What ia said of 
names * 



RECEIVES THE TITLE OF PROTECTOR. — 1 653. 331 

were not held in such regard as those borrowed from the Old Testa- 
ment, such as Habakkuk and Zerubbabel. Sometimes a whole sen- 
tence was adopted. Thus we read of Stand-fast-on-high Stringer, 
Kill-Sin Pimple, Fight-the- Good-Fight- oj -Faith White, More-Fruit 
Fowler, Good-Reicard Smart. 

11. Barebone himself was named Praise God, and he had a brother 
named , If- Christ-had-not-died-for-you,-you-had-becn-damwd Barebone. 
This was too long a name to be repeated every time he was addressed, 
so people generally called him Damned Barebone. The parliament 
went to work as pompously as if it really possessed power ; but its 
conduct was so absurd, that Cromwell became ashamed of it, and sent 
all the members about their business. 



CHAPTER CLXXVII. 



Cromwell made Protector. — Prosperous State of Engla?id 
under his Government. — A Conspiracy formed by the Roy- 
alists, but Cromwell gets information of it by means of the 
Post-office. — Newspapers. — The Members of CromiuelVs 
Family. — His Death. 

1. The officers of the army, acting under the direction of Crom- 
well, now prepared a new constitution, which vested the supreme 
authority in him with the title of Protector. He now assumed all the 
state of a king, and acted his part with the greatest dignity ; his wife 
was called Her Highness ; and his daughters were waited upon by am- 
bassadors and foreigners as if they had been princesses. The great 
mass of the people w r ere thankful to get rid of the oppression of the 
parliament, and to enjoy a settled government. Justice was adminis- 
tered promptly, and order maintained. 

2. Under Cromwell's wise and energetic government, England 
enjoyed a prosperity at home, and the respect and consideration of 
foreign powers, to a degree to which she had never before attained. 
The Dutch were soon obliged to sue for peace. Jamaica was taken 
from the Spaniards, and still remains a possession of Great Britain. A 
new parliament, which he summoned, offered Cromwell the title of 
king, but he refused it ; and was contented to have the protectorship 
confirmed to him for life, with the power of conferring it on whom- 
soever he pleased at his death. 

3. The royalists did not remain idle; and in 1655, a plan for a 
general rising was adopted. But Cromw T ell had full information of 
their designs, having the carriers and postmasters so fully under his 
control, that no treasonable letters could pass undiscovered; and 
Defore the appointed day many of the royalists were taken up ; some 

CLXXVII. — 1. What title was assigned to Cromwell ? 2. What of Endand under hia 
rule'/ 3. What of the royalists ? How did Cromwell become informed of their designs? 



« 



332 



POST-OFFICES AND LETTERS. 



were punished with death, and some were sold for slaves, and sent 
to Barbadoes. This act struck terror through the disaffected, and no 
considerable attempt was afterwards made to overturn the protector's 
power. 




Cromwell rejecting the crown. 

4. Post-offices, which proved of such service to Cromwell, had not 
been long- established. Charles I. appointed a post to carry letters 
once a week between London and Edinburgh. But the system was 
much extended and improved under Cromwell. In earlier times, there 
w T ere persons whose business it was to carry letters ; and in the time 
of Henry V III., there were established carriers ; but the system was 
very imperfect and irregular. The curious way in which letters were 
formerly directed would puzzle a modern postmaster. 

5. A letter addressed by a nobleman of Henry VIII.'s court to 
Lord Shrewsbury, was thus directed: "To the right honorable and 
our very good lord the Earl of Shrewsbury, president of the king's 
majesty's council in the north parts. Haste for thy life, post — haste, 
haste, haste — for thy life, post, haste." The letter did not require 
any extraordinary haste ; and indeed Lord Shrewsbury's correspond- 
ent either in that letter or in some other, apologizes for putting so much 
speed in the direction, and adds, " The only cause is that the posts be 
so slow." 



4. What is said of the post-office? 6. When were newspapers introduced? 7. What 



CROMWELL'S FAMILY.— HIS DEATH. — 1658. 333 

6. The mention of the post-office naturally reminds us of news- 
papers. These were first circulated in the reign of Elizabeth, in 
order, we believe, to apprize the country of the defeat of the Spanish 
Armada. After this, they must have been discontinued for many 
years, since the date commonly assigned to their first publication is 
that of 1042. 

7. Though no attempts were openly made against him, Cromwell 
knew, by means of his spies, that many persons had formed the design 
of taking his life. Though he had so often braved danger in battle 
with intrepidity, he now betrayed a more than common fear of death ; 
and every moment of his life was made miserable by the apprehension 
of losing it. If any stranger looked earnestly at him, it made his 
heart sink within him. He always wore armor under his clothes, 
and he never dared to sleep in the same apartment more than two 
or three nights at a time. 

8. His mother, who had been brought from her retirement to 
share his greatness, also shared his apprehensions ; she never heard 
a gun go off, or a sudden noise, without exclaiming, " My son is 
shot !" and she was never satisfied of his safety unless she saw him 
twice a day. Cromwell was very fond of his mother, who was 
worthy of his love, and he was always an affectionate and dutiful son. 
Her dying request, however, he disobeyed ; for, instead of burying 
her as she desired, in a private manner, he caused her to be interred 
with more than royal pomp. 

9. Cromwell's wife was also an excellent woman, and brought up 
her children very well. She was always apprehensive of a change of 
fortune ; and often besought her husband to secure himself from dan- 
ger from the royalists, by offering his youngest daughter in marriage 
to Charles. It is believed that prince would have made no objec- 
tion to such a match ; but Cromwell's usual answer was, " I tell you 
Charles Stuart will never forgive me for his father's death." 

10. The loss of his favorite daughter, Mrs. Claypole, added much 
to Cromwell's gloom ; and from the time of her death he never was 
observed to smile. She was a zealous royalist, as were also his 
daughters, Lady Franconberg, and Lady Rich. His other daughter, 
who had first married General Ireton, and afterwards General Fleet- 
wood, was a violent republican — that is, in favor of a government 
conducted by representatives of the people. 

11. Nor did Cromwell receive much sympathy or support from his 
eldest son, Richard, whom he designed to be his successor, for he was 
a man of inferior abilities, and of no ambition ; he much preferred the 
quiet of his little farm to all the splendors of royalty, which, with its 
accompanying cares and fatigues, he was soon called upon to enderre. 
Henry, the youngest son. was a man of great talents and extraor- 
dinary goodness. Although very young, he was entrusted with the 
government of Ireland, which he conducted with so much prudence, 
as to gain the love of the people, whose condition he did all in his 
power to improve. 

12. It is not surprising that Cromwell's bodily frame sunk under 

rendered CYoimvell's life miserable? S. What of his mother? 9. What of his wife 1 



334 RICHARD CROMWELL PROCLAIMED PROTECTOR. — 1653. 

the weight of cares and anxieties. He died September 3d, 1658, in 
the fifty-ninth year of his age ; and his body was deposited with great 
pomp in Westminster Abbey. It was a long time before anything 
like justice was done to the character of Cromwell by his own coun- 
trymen. The zealous royalists could see nothing good or great in 
any person who denied that kings have a natural right to rule, what- 
ever may be their capacity, or however much they may oppress their 
subjects. 

13. Others thought to curry favor with the monarch who suc- 
ceeded to the throne, by heaping abuse upon the memory of one 
whom they called a usurper. But the great mass of the English 
people have now adopted the opinion which foreigners held from the 
beginning, that Cromwell was one of the greatest men that England 
has produced, taking the world's estimate of greatness. He was, 
indeed, a great general, statesman, and sovereign. 



CHAPTER CLXXVIII. 

Richard Cromwell proclaimed Protector. — He finds himself 
unable to maintain himself in office, and resigns. — General 
Mo?ik marches ivith his Army to London, and proclaims 
Charles II King, who returns to England, and everything 
is restored to its ancient footing. 

1. Richard Cromwell was proclaimed protector upon his father's 
death. But the nation soon found the difference between the strr>ig 
hand of Oliver Cromwell, and the weakness and indecision of his son, 
and showed a disposition to cast off his authority. But Rich */d 
quietly resigned a dignity which he had neither the power nor .he 
inclination to keep; thus wisely saving himself from being dispos- 
sessed by violence. He held the protectorship only a few months. 

2. Henry Cromwell also resigned his command in Ireland, though 
his popularity in that country was very great, ana he might have 
retained his power there if he had chosen to do so ; but he preferred 
the tranquillity of a private station to the dangerous and uncertain 
enjoyments of ambition. He well describes his own character in a 
letter which he wrote to his brother when he resigned his power. 
" I would rather," he says, "submit to any suffering with a good 
name, than be the greatest man on earth without it." 

3. The country was now left without any government, and each 
party was full of hopes of establishing their own favorite form. 
Those members of parliament who had been so unceremoniouslv ex- 
pelled by Cromwell in 1653, met and assumed the control of affairs. 

10. What of his daughters? 11. What of his sons? 12. When did Cromwell die? 
13. Wlint led to a false, estimate of his character? 
CLXXVIII. — 1. What of Ri&hard Cromwell ? 2. What of Henry Cromwell ? 3. What 



CONTENTIONS OF THE RIVAL PARTIES. — 1660. 



336 



But they found no support from any party, and were once more put 
to flight by General Lambert, who commanded the army, and who 
hoped by its assistance to obtain the vacant protectorship. 

4. In the mean time, Charles, on hearing what was passing in 
England, came to Calais, that he might be at hand to take advantage 
of any circumstance favorable to his cause. For some time there 
seemed to be little chance for him ; but at last, what the efforts of his 
friends could not do, the rivalry of his enemies brought about. Lam- 
bert and Monk had long hated each other ; and Monk, partly to dis- 
appoint Lambert in his ambitious hopes, and partly to please his wife, 
who was a zealous royalist, formed the design of restoring Charles, 
and entered into correspondence with him. 

5. But so well did Monk conceal his design, that it was thought 
he was acting for the parliament, so that he was able to march from 
Scotland to London, not only without opposition, but he was even 
joined on the way by Lambert's troops, who arrested their general 
and put him into the Tower. On the 1st of May, 1660, Monk ven- 
tured to propose to a new parliament, which he had assembled, the 
restoration of the king. The proposition was received with joy by 




Charles II. landing at Dover. 

the people, who were tired of the anarchy which had prevailed since 
the death of Oliver Cromwell, and which his good government made 
the more striking. 



body assumed the government? 4. What did Charles do? What aided his cause) 



336 



RESTORATION OF CHARLES II. — 1600. 



6. The peers hastened to assemble and to assume their old rights 
as one of the houses of parliament. On the 8th of May, Charles 
was formally proclaimed king, and a committee sent to invite him to 
return and take possession of the throne. He was met at Dover by 
General Monk, who conducted him to London, which he entered, 
May 29th, 1660. As a reward for these great services. Monk was 
created Duke of Albemarle, and received a large sum of money to 
support his new dignity. 




Charles II. entering London. 

7. Everything about the court was now restored to its former con 
dition. Old courtiers returned to their old places ; even the statue 
of Charles I. resumed its ancient pedestal ; for it seems the brazier to 
whom it was sold, thought he might make a better speculation by 
saving it whole, than melting it down ; so he disobeyed the orders 
of the parliament to break it in pieces, and buried it in the ground, 
from which it now made its reappearance. 

8. Having thus seated Charles upon the throne, we must dispose 
of the Cromwell family, and then give an account of some of the 
other great men who flourished during the Commonwealth. Though 
Charles showed no disposition to molest Richard Cromwell, still he 
thought it safest to leave the country for a time. In the course of 
his travels he was introduced, under a borrowed name, to the French 
Prince of Conti, who, talking of English affairs, broke out into admi- 
ration of Cromwell's courage and capacity. " But what," said the 
prince, " has become of that pitiful fellow, Richard?" 

9. He returned to England, and, taking the name of Clark, lived 



5. Who proposed the calling Charles IT. to the throne? 6. When was he proclaimed? 
When did he arrive in London? 7. What followed the restoration of the monarchy ? 
8. WhaL became of Richard Cromwell? What of Henry? « 



DISTINGUISHED MEN OF THE TIMES. 337 

vo be a very old man. Henry became a highly respected country gen- 
tleman. King Charles was out hunting one day, and seeing a gentle- 
man's house, rode up to it to obtain some refreshment. When Henry 
Cromwell, whose residence it was, saw the king, he was somewhat 
embarrassed ; but Charles, by his gracious manner, soon set him at 
ease, and the visit went off very agreeably. The king was as much 
pleased with the kindness and simplicity of Mr. Cromwell's manners 
and appearance, as the latter was with the good humor and pleasantry 
of the king. 



CHAPTER CLXXIX. 

Account of Milton. — Andrew Marvell. — Algernon Sydney. 
— John Harrington. 

1. Whitlocke, one of the officers of state during the common- 
wealth, wrote an account of what happened at that period ; and, 
amongst other things, he tells us that one Milton, a blind man, was 
employed to translate into Latin a treaty which he had himself nego- 
tiated with Sweden. 

2. " Sir Bulstrode Whitlocke, one of our Lords of the Treasury," 
would have thought the assertion too ridiculous to be a matter for 
anger, if any one had said, that long after his name should be for- 
gotten by all but learned antiquaries, the name of this same Milton 
would be familiar to all from the palace to the cottage. But so it is. 
A person must be very ignorant indeed, who does not know that John 
Milton wrote the Paradise Lost, a poem which, for sublimity and 
purity, has never been equalled. 

3. Milton, in his youth, had light-brown hair, regular and hand- 
some features, and he was so fair, thai at the University of Cam- 
bridge he was called " the lady of Christ College." He was about 
the middle size, well-proportioned and active ; but never very healthy. 
Being a puritan, and very learned, he was appointed Latin Secretary 
to the council in the early days of the commonwealth, and was re- 
tained in that office by Cromwell, for whom he had the greatest admira- 
tion and respect. In those times the Latin language was used in the 
intercourse between nations. 

4. Intense application to study gradually destroyed his sight, but 
this did not destroy his usefulness ; for others wrote down what he 
dictated. His two youngest daughters used to read to him, and in 
eight different languages, though they themselves understood only 
the English; "one tongue," their father was wont to say, " was 
enough for a woman." He had also a kind quaker friend, named 
Thomas Ellwood, who paid him a daily visit, and acted as his scribe. 
He wrote an answer to the " Icon Basilike," and many other political 
works, which made him very obnoxious to the royalists. 

CLXXIX. —3. What of Milton in his youth? What appointment did he hold during 
the commonwealth? "4. What personal misfortune did he meet with? What of hid 
99 



338 DISTINGUISHED MEN OF THE TIMES. 

5. At the restoration he was obliged to conceal himself for a time, 
and afterwards lived in poverty in London. There were, however, 
some men of rank and distinction, who delighted to converse with the 
blind bard, as he sat before his door, clad in a coarse gray coat, enjoy- 
ing the refreshing breezes of a summer evening. It was now that he 
composed his great poem of Paradise Lost, which he modestly sub- 
mitted to the judgment of his friend Ellwood. The latter read it, 
and, on returning it to bim, expressed his approbation, adding, " Thou 
hast said much here of Paradise Lost, but what hast thou to say of 
Paradise Found?" 

6. The hint was not lost; Milton composed the "Paradise Re- 
gained," and when it was finished, putting it into the hands of Ell- 
wood, he said, " This is owing to you ; for you put it into my head 
by the question you put to me." For the Paradise Lost, Milton 
received from the publishers only fifteen pounds, (less than seventy- 
five dollars,) a smaller sum than is sometimes paid for a single article 
in a modern magazine. Milton was born December 9th, 1608, and 
died in November, 1674. 

7. Milton's assistant in the office of secretary was Andrew Marvell, 
who was a man of great wit, as well as learning. After the restora- 
tion, he wrote many pamphlets against arbitrary government, which 
contained so much humor that they were exceedingly popular, and 
much dreaded by the court party. It was thought advisable to try to 
buy him over to their side. So the king sent his minister, Danby, to 
make a bargain with him. Danby with some difficulty found his way 
to his mean lodgings, in an obscure court. 

8. Marvell supposed his visitor had lost his way, but when in- 
formed that Danby came from the king, who wished to know what he 

»would do to serve him, he answered that it was not in his majesty's 
power to serve him. When pressed to accept any office the court 
could give, Marvell replied, that he could not take any, for in such 
case he must either be ungrateful to the king by opposing him, or false 
to his country by supporting his measures. Danby then said that he 
was the bearer of £ 1,000 from the king as a mark of his respect ; but 
the inflexible patriot rejected it, though he had to borrow money to 
pay for his dinner. 

9. There were many eloquent speakers and writers on government 
and law in Cromwell's time; the most distinguished were Algernon 
Sydney and James Harrington. The former was the son of the Earl 
of Leicester. He was a violent republican, and took the old Roman 
Marcus Brutus as his pattern. Harrington wrote a book called 
" Oceana," which is a description of an imaginary republic, such as 
he thought one ought to be. 

daughters? What of his friend Ellwood? 5. What hefell him at the restoration? 
When did he die ? 7. What of Andrew Marvell? 8. Relate the anecdote of his integ 
rity, 9. What of other distinguished speakers and writers? 



CHARACTER OF CHARLES II. 339 



CHAPTER CLXXX. 

Character of Charles II. — How he treated the Puritans.—- 
Death of Archbishop Sharp. — Great Change in the Habits 
of the People. — Samuel Butler, the Author of Huiibras. — 
More of Richard Penderill. 

1. Charles II. was thirty years old, when, after, sixteen years' 
exile, he was so unexpectedly placed on the thjone of his ances- 
tors. He had a good figure, and though his features were harsh, 
there was something- agreeable in his countenance ; and his cheerful, 
easy, and graceful deportment made him altogether a very engaging- 
person. He hated business, and to live idly and merrily w:is all he 
cared for. He had no wish to be a great or a good monarch, and he 
only valued his country because he found it an agreeab e dwelling- 
place. 

2. The first measures of the king - gave general satisfaction. The 
Earl of Clarendon, who had attended him during his exile, had the 
chief influence in his council, and by his integrity and wisdom the 
government was carried on for a time with justice and moderation. 
A general pardon was proclaimed to all who had taken part against 
the king - during the civil wars, excepting to those who had been active 
in procuring- the death of Charles I. About sixty persons had been 
concerned in that act. Of these, many were dead, and others had 
left the kingdom. 

3. Of those brought to trial, only ten were executed ; "of this num- 
ber, was Hugh Peters, a preacher, who had not only been very active 
in stirring up the minds of the people against the king, but also, it 
was supposed, was one of the masked executioners who beheaded 
him. Sir Henry Vane was also executed ; Lambert was exiled to 
the island of Guernsey, where he lived thirty years, and from being a 
rigid puritan, became a Roman Catholic. 

4. Having thus satisfied their revenge at what may be deemed a 
moderate expense of human life, the government set about restoring 
the old forms of religion. The Episcopal church was reestablished 
in England without difficulty, but the attempt to force it upon the 
Scots was not so successful. The king was exceedingly desirous to 
introduce it into Scotland ; perhaps the more so because he remem- 
bered the insults he had suffered from the Scotch Presbyterians, when 
he was formerly among them. 

5. He induced Sharp, a Presbyterian leader, to accept the arch- 
bishopric of St. Andrews. Sharp was a bigoted man, and behaved 
in such a manner as to exasperate the people yet more against Epis- 
copacy. He was at last killed by a zealous covenanter, called Bal- 
four of Burley, who, with a small party of men, chanced to meet him, 
as he was travelling with his daughter, dragged him out of his car- 

CLXXX — 1. What of Charles II. 'a personal appearance and character? 2. What of 
his early measures? How did he treat the puritans? 3. Who were executed? 4. What 



J 40 CHANGE IN THE HABITS OF THE PEOPLE. 

riage, and murdered him. This act put an entire stop to the attempt 
to introduce Episcopacy in the Scotch church. 

6. In 1662, Charles married Catharine of Braganza, daugnter of 
the King of Portugal. The new queen had been educated in a con- 
vent, and was very formal and grave ; she rejected the company of 
the English ladies, and would only have about her a set of old, solemn 
duennas, as the Spaniards call the stiff, formal old women, whom it is 
the custom of that country to set over young ones, to keep them out 
of mischief. The king found her and her court so dull, that he neg- 
lected her society, and spent most of his time with a set, of idle, dis- 
solute companions. 

7. The example of Charles had a most pernicious influence ; few 
persons could equal him in wit, yet those of the meanest capacity 
could imitate his vices, and the coarse and vulgar jokes in '/hich he 
often indulged himself. The public taste was corrupted and the 
books written at that time, which acquired any popularity, were pol- 
luted with the same vicious spirit which prevailed in socie'/. 

8. The people were all the more ready to rush into di r sipation, for 
having been so long restrained from their customary amusement. 
Under the rule of the parliament, all recreation was dc med to be un- 
christian ; a cheerful countenance and a ruddy complexion were con- 
sidered as the marks of a malignant. Some of the sports which were 
suppressed exhibit the rude manners of the times. 

9. Thus we are told that Colonel Henson, with pious zeal, marched 
his regiment into London, and destroyed all the bears, which were 
there kept for the diversion of the citizens ; bear-baiting, that is, fas- 
tening up a poor bear, and then setting dogs upon him, .being a favor- 
ite amusement. This exploit of Colonel Henson is said to have given 
occasion to the humorous poem of Hudibras, which, however, was not 
published till 1663. 

10. It was written by Samuel Butler, who lived for some time as 
steward with Sir Samuel Luke, a famous commander under Crom- 
well. Sir Samuel is supposed to be the hero of the poem, in which 
he and his party are delineated in the most absurd and ridiculous col- 
ors. It did greater service to the royal cause, by exposing the fanati- 
cism of the puritans, than a thousand dry treatises could have done ; 
for no one would read those, while the pleasanty and humor of Hudi- 
bras gave it universal circulation. 

11. The king was so delighted with it, that he learned a part of it 
by heart : yet he suffered the author to die in want. Ingratitude 
was, indeed, one of the revolting traits in Charles' character. Thou- 
sands of his subjects had reduced themselves from affluence to abso- 
lute want by their exertions in his behalf; but he took no notice of 
their petitions, and suffered them to remain in distress, whilst he 
lavished the public money upon his favorites, both male and 
female. 



did he do about religion ? 5. What happened in Scotland in regard to this? 6. Whom 
did Charles marry? What of her character ? 7. What was the character of his court? 
What change in general manners? 9. Relate Colonel Henson's exploit. To what poem 



THE GREAT PLAGUE IN LONDON. — 1665. 341 

12. There were a few exceplions to this. After his restoration, he 
6ent for Richard Penderill, and calling him " Friend Richard," made 
him give the courtiers an account of all their adventures together, and 
of the escape from Boscobel. This the old man did to the great en- 
tertainment of all present, telling them " how he got a sorry jade for 
the king, with a bad saddle and bridle ; and how his majesty com 
plained of the steed, and how his brother Humphrey said the king 
should not find fault with the poor animal, for it never before carried 
the weight of three kingdoms on its back." The king maintained the 
old man during the remainder of his life. 



CHAPTER CLXXXI. 

Great Plague in London, followed by a great Fire. — About 
the Lord Mayor. — Great Improvements in London after the 
Fire. — Sir Matthew Hale draws up Rules for the Settlement 
of Land Titles, and Sir Christopher Wren is employed as 
an Architect. 

1. In the autumn of 1665 a most violent plague broke out in Lon- 
don, and in a short time 90,000 persons are said to have died of it. 
The court and the richer classes of people retired at the begin- 
ning of it into the country, dismissing their servants, who were 
turned into the streets to perish. These poor wretches, more than 
40,000 in number, being refused admittance into any houses in the 
city, wandered into the country ; but the villagers drove them back 
with pitchforks, lest they should bring the infection of the plague with 
them. 

2. The Lord Mayor of London, Sir Thomas Lawrence, then sup- 
ported them till his means w r ere exhausted ; and a subscription was 
afterwards raised for them, to which the king contributed a thousand 
pounds a week. Whilst the city was yet suffering under this calam- 
ity, it was assailed also by another. On the 3d of Sept., 1666, a fire 
broke out near London bridge, and after raging three days and three 
nights, and destroying 13.000 houses and 84 churches, was finally 
stopped by blowing up buildings in its way. 

3. Mr. Evelyn, a truly excellent country gentleman, who kept a 
daily journal,. which has lately been published, has given us a very 
animated description of the terrible scene. On the evening of the 
3d September, he went to the bank-side of the river Thames at South- 
wark, and from thence he beheld the flames spreading on the oppo- 
site side of the river, in one sheet, all along the bank. He went 
again early the next morning to the same place, and saw the ^ire 



is it said to have ?iven occasion? What of Butler ? 11. What bad trait in Charles' 
character"! 12. What exception to his general conduct? 

ULXaXI. — 1. When did the plague desolate London ? What calamity followed ths 
29* 



342 



ACCOUNT OF THE GREAT FIRE. — 1666. 



still raging furiously. It was then catching the great church of St 
Paul's, and soon spread itself on all sides, destroying everything in 
its way. 




The fire in London. 



4. All the sky was of a fiery aspect, like the top of a burning oven. 
The light was seen at forty miles' distance, and not by night only, 
but by day ; and the smoke, which rose in thick, black clouds, was 
supposed to spread through the atmosphere for fifty miles round. 
The air in and about London was so hot and inflamed, that it, was 
quite rifling. The melted lead ran in a stream from the foot of St. 
Paul's and the other churches which took fire. The pavement of the 
streets glowed with so intense a heat, that neither man nor horse was 
able to tread upon it. 

5. Undei St. Paul's church were some vaults, and the neighboring 
shopkeepers thought to save their goods by depositing them there 
while the fire was yet at a distance. Four days after the fire had 
ceased . some of them, anxious to know the state of their goods, opened 
one of the vaults ; but no sooner were the doors opened than the cur- 
rent of air fanned the heat within, and caused the flames to burst out 
in the vault ; and thus everything in it was burnt. The rest, taking 
warning, waited till rain had cooled the air. They then opened the 
other vaults, and found their goods uninjured. 

6. The people at first seemed to lose their senses in the greatness 
of the calamity. The king, however, soon regained his presence of 
mind. He, with his brother, the Duke of York, attended late and 



plague? 3. Relate the particulars of the great fire. 6. What of the king's conduct ? 
7. What of London in ancient times? 8. What of modern London ? What is strictly 



THE LORD MAYOR. 343 

early to encourage and reward the workmen, to whom he gave the 
most judicious orders for arresting the progress of the flames. On the 
6th of Sept. the fire began to yield to their efforts, and on the 7th Mr. 
Evelyn, as he tells us, was able to walk through the burnt district; a 
scene of desolation, in which he often did not know where he was. 
The ground was still so heated that the soles of his shoes were burnt. 

7. London, in ancient times, was comparatively a small place, and 
like other towns in those days, was surrounded by high walls. The 
city was entered through large gates, which were closed in times of 
danger. This was the case in the time of King John, who granted 
the city a charter, that is, a written constitution, empowering it to 
elect its own officers, as the lord mayor, &c. As it was the usual 
place of residence of the king, and very conveniently situated for car- 
rying on an extensive commerce, great numbers of people came there 
to live ; many more than could be accommodated within the walls. 

8. These people built houses in the neighboring villages ; and as 
this has been going on ever since, what is generally called London 
has, in the words of a late historian, " ingulphed one city, one bor- 
ough, and forty-three villages ;" and since he wrote, two more villages 
have been swallowed by the insatiate monster. Thus the different 
parts of London are under different governments and lie in different 
counties. The city of London, strictly so called, is the space included 
within the ol.d walls ; though these have long since disappeared. 

9. It is governed by a lord mayor, who, on public occasions, rides 
in a great coach, which is gorgeously painted and decorated ; the 
mace-bearer sits on a stool in the middle, facing one window, and the 
sword-bearer upon a stool also, facing the other. His lordship him- 
self is dressed either in scarlet or purple robes, richly furred, with a 
broad hood, and a gold chain or collar. He lives in a magnificent 
house called Guildhall. The city is principally occupied by persons 
connected with trade. The nobility, for the most part, have their 
town residences in what is, in fact, an outskirt of the city, and which 
is commonly called the West End. 

10. The houses of the nobility were, in the time of Charles, sur- 
rounded by large gardens, so that if a fire had broken out in one of 
them, it could readily have been prevented from spreading. But in 
the city, the houses were generally built close together, usually of 
wood, and with very narrow streets. As the fire extended but little 
beyond the limits of the city, the principal sufferers were merchants 
and tradesmen, and the poor laborers dependent upon these. There 
was, therefore, great private distress. But the fire has been an in- 
calculable public benefit. 

11. Before this time, the plague used to be a terrible scourge, but 
it has never been known in London since this conflagration. The filth 
was burnt out that used to harbor infection. The old wooden houses, 
with windows not made to open, could never be purified by fresh air. 
They were now succeeded by larger and more airy dwellings, and the 
streets were made wider. Though a great improvement was made, 

the c; city?" How governed? 10. What of the houses of the nobility ? Who were the 
principal sufferers by the fire? 11. Of what advantage did the fire prove? 12. What 



344 THE EARL OF CLARENDON. — 1667. 

yet much more might have been done, but for the jealousies of th« 
land owners, many of whom refused to sell their land, or to agree to 
any plan for general improvement. 

12. The king was very desirous that all the land should be thrown 
into common, and the city laid out regularly, according to a plan of a 
distinguished architect, Sir Christopher Wren ; the old proprietors to 
receive payment in money, or in land equally well settled with their 
old lots. But this could not be effected, much to the regret of the 
posterity of those owners ; for a similar opportunity, it is to be hoped, 
will never occur again. As may be supposed, it was a difficult mat- 
ter to give every person exactly his own again ; since all the old land- 
marks were destroyed. 

13. But Sir Matthew Hale, a wise and excellent man, and also a 
most learned judge, framed, with the assistance of other judges, a set 
of rules for adjusting the different claims. Sir Christopher Wren, 
the greatest architect that England ever produced, was employed to 
rebuild the public edifices. From his designs, fifty-eight churches 
were built. Of these St. Paul's is his greatest work. Indeed, it. is 
considered to be the finest church in Europe, with the exception only 
of St. Peter's, at Rome, which many travellers assert to have the ad- 
vantage only in size. 

14. It required 100 years to build St. Peter's. The first stone of 
St. Paul's was laid in 1765, and the whole building was completed in 
thirty-five years, with the exception of a few decorations. It seemed 
as if the life of the venerable architect was lengthened, that he might 
enjoy the pleasure of seeing the accomplishment of his great work. 
He died the year it. was finished, aged 91. 



CHAPTER CLXXXII. 

Charles sacrifices the Earl of Clarendon to the Cabal. — The 
King becomes a Pensioner of France. — Great Discontent in 
England. — Habeas Corpus Law. 

1. The calamities of which Charles had been a witness were not 
without some good effect on his disposition, and detached him for 
awhile from the idle and dissolute habits into which he had sunk ; but 
his vicious companions soon came about him and rallied him out of all 
his good resolutions, and he relapsed into his former way of life. 
These dissolute associates, the chief of whom was the Duke of Buck- 
ingham, the witty duke, as he was called, had long meditated the over- 
throw of Lord Clarendon, whose virtue and integrity made him the 
particular object of their dislike* 

2. Charles, forgetting how faithfully this great statesman had 
served him in all his wanderings and necessities, and how much his 

improvements were proposed? 13. Who framed the rules for adjusting land claims? 
What architect was chiefly employed ? 
CLXXXII. — 1. What effect had these calamities on Charles? What of Clarendon 1 



THE WAR WITH HOLLAND RENEWED. — 1672. 345 

wisdom had contributed to strengthen him on the throne, readily 
acceded to a plan which was to remove a man who was some check 
upon his vices. Clarendon was, therefore, on various frivolous pre- 
tences, found guilty of neglect of duty, and sentenced to banishment. 

3. He retired into France, and employed the remainder of his life 
chiefly in composing his excellent " History of the Rebellion," and 
also in writing an account of his own life. His youngest daughter, 
Anna Hyde, married the Duke of York, and was the mother of Mary 
and Anne, subsequently queens of England. 

4. After Clarendon's disgrace, Rupert, the Duke of Ormond, Sir 
Orlando Bridgeman, and other men of wisdom and experience, had 
for a time the chief weight in the council. But in 1670, their influ- 
ence declined, and the king, whose carelessness about public affairs 
daily increased, committed the entire management to five of the most 
unprincipled men in the kingdom, Clifford, Ashley, Buckingham, 
Arlington, and Lauderdale, who were called the Cabal, from the first 
letters of their names. 

5. One of the last acts of Clarendon had been to make peace with 
the Dutch, with whom the country had been several years at war. 
This war was carried on principally on the sea, and in the course of it 
the English had established that superiority, of which Blake, in the 
time of Cromwell, had laid the foundation. The naval commanders 
in this war were Prince Rupert and the Duke of Albermarle. 

6. In those days there was no great distinction between the land 
and sea service. A good general was thought fully competent to 
command at sea. Events proved the correctness of this opinion. 
For Blake, who is the most distinguished of Britain's naval command- 
ers, with the exception, perhaps, of Nelson, whom we shall soon 
have occasion to notice, did not go to sea till he was past fifty years 
of age, and was then transferred from the command of an army to that 
of a fleet. 

7. One of the first acts of the Cabal was to renew the war with 
Holland. Charles at first hesitated to adopt a measure to which the 
people of England were very much opposed ; but Louis XIV., King 
of France, who was himself at war with Holland, and desired the 
assistance of England, overcame his scruples. The persuasive argu- 
ments of Henrietta, who visited her brother on this business, were 
supported by some more solid and effective reasons, in the shape of 
gold, a large quantity of which was annually to be at the service of 
the king, so long as he should sacrifice the interests of his own coun- 
try to those of France. 

8. Charles no longer hesitated ; his pleasures were very expensive, 
and money was hard to be obtained from his subjects for such vile 
uses. A secret treaty was made between the two monarchs, by which 
Charles became the pensioner of Louis. War was declared against 
Holland. The chief distinction gained by the English in this war was 
upon the sea. The Duke of York commanded the fleet, and under 
him were Prince Rupert and Lord Sandwich. 

4. Who governed after Clarendon's disgrace? What was the Calial ? 5. What of the 
British power on the ocean ? Who were the naval commanders? 7. How was Charles 



346 HABEAS CORPUS. — 1679. 

9. In 1674, the Cabal was broken up by the death of Clifford, and 
the disgrace of Ashley, now become Lord Shaftsbury. Honester 
ministers came into place ; peace was made with Holland ; but Charles 
still maintained his secret treaty with Louis, and rendered such ser- 
vices as might entitle him to his annual pay. This treaty with France 
was, as we have said, secret, and the receipt of money by him from 
Louis was also secret ; but his manifest predilection for that country 
excited distrust among his subjects, and he and the parliament were 
or. very bad terms. 

10. This parliament, which had assembled in 1660, in all the intox- 
ication of joy, loyalty, and hope, which it was natural to feel at the 
king's restoration, was dissolved in 1678, and separated with feelings 
of severe disappointment at his utter want of conduct and principle. 
The king was supposed to be a papist at heart, and the Duke of York, 
who was heir to the throne, was an avowed papist. The people, who 
entertained as great a horror of popery as ever, were naturally alarmed 
for the safety of the. Protestant church. 

11. The king must have money, and so he was compelled to sum 
mon a new parliament to pass a law authorizing him to collect taxes. 
No sooner was it assembled, than an attempt was made in the house 
of commons to pass a law excluding the Duke of York from the throne, 
and settling the succession upon his daughter, Mary, who was now 
married to her cousin William, Prince of Orange. This attempt was 
not successful. 

12. This parliament is memorable for passing what is called the 
Habeas Corpus law, by which enactment, it was rendered illegal to 
Jetain any person in prison, unless he were accused of some specific 
jffence. for which lie was by law subject to punishment ; it also 
secured to all a prompt trial. Thus it affords a complete protection 
against arbitrary punishment. Every person who is imprisoned has a 
right to demand to be brought before some magistrate, who is bound 
to inquire into the cause of his imprisonment, and if it shall appear to 
be insufficient, is required to set him at liberty. 

13. The judge, upon the demand of the prisoner, issues an order, 
technicslly called a writ, commanding the jailer to have the body of 
the prisoner brought before him, &c. These writs were formerly in 
Latin, and the two first words were Habeas Corpus: and hence the 
name commonly given to the law. This law has been adopted from 
England by each of the United States ; and it can only be set aside 
in cases of rebellion or war. 

persuaded 10 renew the war with Holland ? 9. When, and by what event, was the Cabal 
broken up? What of the state of feeling in England ? 11. What attempt did the new 
parliament make? 12,13. What of the Habeas Corpus act ? 



ORIGIN OF THE TERMS WHIG AND TORY. — 1630. 347 



CHAPTER CLXXXIII. 

Origin of the terms Whig and Tory. — Distracted State of 
the Country. — The Rye-house Plot. — Death of Russell and 
Sydney. — Death of Charles II — His Habits. — Fashions 
of Dress. 

1. The country was now divided into two parties ; those who 
wished to exclude the Duke of York from the throne, and those who 
were opposed to this measure. This was a renewal of the old strug- 
gle between the people and the court, which had resulted before in 
the death of Charles I. and the establishment of the Commonwealth. 
The two parties, which had hitherto been distinguished as the court 
party and the country party, in 1680 received designations which 
have continued to this day. 

2. The court partv reproached their antagonists with being no bet- 
ter than Whigs, a name by which certain religious fanatics in Scotland 
were known. The country party found a resemblance between the 
courtiers and certain popish banditti in Ireland, to whom the appella- 
tion Tory was affixed. These names, which were at first terms of 
reproach, were soon generally used, to distinguish the two parties, 
and we shall adopt them for the future. 

3. The whigs were the strongest in numbers, and they received 
daily accessions ; for the conduct of the king and his brother gave 
more and more dissatisfaction. While the country was thus filled 
with discontent and apprehension, the king was urged by the vindic- 
tive temper of the duke to exercise severities foreign to his nature, 
and many persons were taken up and executed, on suspicion of being 
engaged in plots against his majesty's life. One of these persons was 
Lord William Russell, a nobleman of high character, who was accused 
of being concerned in what was called the Rye-house plot, from the 
name of a house where the conspirators held their meetings. 

4. The witnesses against him were of the most infamous character ; 
but Russell* was condemned and executed. Algernon Sydney, whom 
we have before mentioned, was also tried and executed. Nothing was 
proved against him, but he was known to be attached to republican 
principles, and that was sufficient reason for suspecting him of a 
design to murder the king. 

5. These executions were in some degree in retaliation of the exe- 
cution of certain papist friends of the Duke of York, who, five years 
before, in 1678, had been condemned and beheaded on the charge of 
a design to introduce popery ; the chief witness against them beinp; 
Titus Oates, a man of infamous character. Though the king permitted 
these things to be done, he does not appear to have approved of them, 
and often opposed his brother's violent counsels. 

CLXXXIII. — 1. Into what parties was Endand divided ? 2. Whence were the names 
derived 1 3. To what was the king urged by his brother? What of Lord William 
Ruse!!? 4. What of Sydney? 5. For what were these executions a retaliation? 



3J3 DEATH OF CHARLES II. -1685. 

6. One day he said to him, " Brother, I am too old to go again on 
my travels ; you may, if you choose it," — meaning that the measures 
which the duke wished him to pursue would provoke the people to 
open rebellion. Charles, though he was so careless and idle, had 
good sense ; he plainly perceived the discontents that were rising, and 
we are assured that he had determined to take the best way of appeas- 
ing them, by dismissing his bad advisers. 

7. But he had no opportunity of trying the experiment ; for in the 
midst of a life of vicious indulgence, he was attacked by apoplexy, 
and died, after a few days' illness, February 6th , 1685, in the fifty- 
fifth year of his age, and twenty-fifth of his reign. He married 
Catharine of Braganza, by whom he had no children. The character 
of Charles was very well portrayed in a lively epigram, which was 
made on him while yet alive by one of the wits of his court : 

8. "Here lies our sovereign lord, the king, 
Whose word no man relies on ; 
Who never said a foolish thing, 
And never did a wise one." 

This was shown to Charles, and he said, in his pleasant way, that it 
was very true ; for his words were his own, but his actions were his 
ministers'. 

9. His agreeable manners made him a greater favorite with the 
people than he deserved to be. He would sit for hours on the benches 
in St. James' Park, amusing himself with some tame ducks and his 
dogs, amidst a crowd of people, with whom he would talk and joke. 
These dogs were a particular breed of spaniels, of which Charles was 
most troublesomely fond. 

10. He had so many in his bed-room and other apartments, that 
Mr. Evelyn says the whole palace was made offensive and disagree- 
able by them. This particular breed were called King Charles' 
dogs, and have been very much in request. It is believed that none 
of the true breed are now left, except some beautiful black and tan 
spaniels, which belonged to the Duke of Norfolk, and which used to 
riot over Arundel castle, one of his residences, much in the same 
way in which their ancestors racketed about the palace at White- 
hall. 

11. The Restoration brought as great a revolution in dress as in 
government or manners. The precise, plain attire of the puritans, 
gave place to ribands, and feathers, and shoulder-knots. Shoe-buckles 
became the rage, but those who affected plainness in their dress con- 
tinued to wear strings. To avoid as much as possible the imputation 
of being a round-head, the loyal subjects wore long flowing wigs of 
curled and frizzled false hair. Men of tender consciences were greatly 
scandalized at this fashion, considering it more indecent than long hair, 
because, it was unnatural. 

12. Many preachers held forth against it in their sermons, and cut 
their own hair shorter to express their abhorrence of it. It was ob- 
served that a periwig gave an appearance of dignity, and procured for 

What were the king's feelings? How did he express them ? 7. When did Charles die? 
i» what, year of his age? Of his reign ? 8. What epigram was made on him ? 9. What 



POETS AND PHILOSOPHERS OF THE TIME OF CHARLES II. 



!19 



the wearers a respect which they were strangers to before The 
judges and physicians, who thoroughly understood the magic power 
of a wig, gave it all the advantage of length as well as size, for they 
enveloped the upper parts of the body in a huge mass of hair three 
feet in length. 

13. Wigs, however, established themselves in the public favor, and 
maintained their place till the middle of the last century. Young bojs 
even were emulous of wearing them. A hair-dresser, in her adver- 
tisement — for the artists were sometimes females — boasts that she 
could cut and curl boys' hair in so fine a way, that it should be im- 
possible to distinguish it from a wig. 

14. The ladies' heads, too, were frizzled and curled with the nicest 
art, and they frequently set it off with Jieart-breakers. Sometimes a 
string of pearls or an ornament of ribbon was worn on the head ; and, 
in the latter part of this reign, hoods of various kinds were in fashion. 
We cannot answer for the prevalence of blue stockings, but we are 
told that one of the court beauties sometimes sported green. 



CHAPTER CLXXXIV. 

Of the Poets and Philosophers who lived in the time of 
Charles II — Many new Manufactures introduced into 
England. 

1. As may be readily supposed, the gay court of Charles was not 
without its poets. But their verses, for the most part, were grossly 
infected by the prevailing licentiousness. Waller, however, who has 
been styled the parent of English verse, was a man of respectable 
character. He was a friend of Cromwell, and some of his best verses 
are a panegyric upon the protector. Cowley was more praised and 
admired during his lifetime than the great Milton ; yet his verses art 
as harsh as Waller's are smooth. 

*2. But of all the poets who flourished during this period, John 
Dryden, " glorious John," as he was called, is, next to Milton, the 
most esteemed at the present time. He was born in 1631, and did 
not die till 1701. He was somewhat of a time-server, for, in 1658. 
we find him writing verses extolling the protector, and in 1660, he 
hails the return of Charles II. in a poem called " Astrea Redux.' 
That monarch showed his sense of his merit, by appointing him, in 
1668, to be the poet-laureate. 

3. To please James II., Dryden became a Catholic ; but in this 
he overreached himself; for when he was driven from the throne, 
as we shall presently see, Dryden lost his office ; he vented his 

of his habits ? What of his dogs? 11. What change in dress 1 What of the new style 
of head-dress? 14. What of ladies' head-dress ? 

CLXXXIV. — 1. What poets are mentioned of Charles II. 's time ? What of Waller 1 

30 



350 POETS AND PHILOSOPHERS OF THE TIME OF CHARLES II. 

spleen agairst his successor in a satirical poem, called " Mac 
Flecknoe." In his old age he wrote the ode to St. Cecilia, which 
of all his works displays the most imagination, and a translation of 
the Latin poet Virgil's works into English verse, which Pope 
declared to be the most noble and spirited translation in any lan- 
guage. 

4. We have said so much about the corruption of the times, that 
it might almost seem there were no good men left in the kingdom. 
Yet there were many such, even of those whose rank brought them in 
contact with the court. There was the Duke of Ormond. and his 
only son, Lord Ossay, who was the most popular man in the kingdom, 
as he was also one of the most virtuous. He died early, to the great 
grief of his father and of the whole nation. 

5. The bereaved old duke used to say, " He would not change his 
dead son for any living son in Christendom." So precious to him 
was the remembrance of his virtues ! There was, likewise, a little 
knot of wise men who contrived to enjoy in peace and quietness the 
tranquil satisfactions of science and philosophy. Bishop Wilkins, 
Mr. Evelyn, and Sir Christopher Wren — two of whom have before 
been mentioned — Mr. Boyle, and a few others, were of this set. 

6. Bishop Wilkins was a man of great talent and merit. He was 
the brother-in-law of Oliver Cromwell, and by his influence with the 
protector, contrived to save the University of Oxford, where he was 
head of one of the colleges, from pillage. Mr. Evelyn was a man of 
taste and literature, and was a patron of many artists, whose merits 
might not have been known but for him. He first brought Gibbons, 
a celebrated carver in wood, into notice. 

7. Wood-carving naturally suggests to our minds the grotesque 
figures which once ornamented the walls of country churches, and the 
figure-heads of skips. Without seeing them, one can form no idea 
of the exquisite beauty of the wreaths of flowers with which Gib- 
bons ornamented the walls of various edifices, and those of some 
rooms in Windsor Castle. Mr. Evelyn was a great planter of trees, 
and layer out of grounds. He wrote a book on trees, called the 
Sylva, which even those who have no land to plant may read with 
pleasure. 

8. He turned the attention of gentlemen owning land to this sub- 
ject, and many millions of trees were consequently planted ; so that 
he was a great, benefactor to the present generation. Robert Boyle 
was distinguished for his ability and goodness, and devoted his life to 
science and religion. He was one of the founders of the Royal 
Society, the most distinguished and useful scientific association in the 
world. 

9. None but men of the highest attainments are admitted to this 
society ; so that, to be a member of it, is a proof of great merit ; 
Charles was himself a lover of the sciences, particularly of chemistry 
and mechanics ; but he encouraged them more by precept than by 

Of Cowley? Of Dryi'en? 4. What of the Puke of Ormond' What of his son ? 
5. What philosophers are mentioned? 6. What of Wilkins? Of Evelyn? 7. What 
of wood-carving ? To what did Mr. Evelyn particularly attend ? 8. What of Boyle? 



JAMES II. -1685. 3.51 

example ; for his erring courtiers left little money to be expended in 
the encouragement of science. 

10. Still the useful arts made great progress in his reign. The art 
of dying woollen cloth was introduced into England from France, and 
tht. art of making glass from Venice. Manufactures in iron, brass, 
silk, hats, paper, &c, were established. The empire of Great Brit- 
ain in America was increased by the conquest of New York from the 
Dutch, and by the settlement of South Carolina and Pennsylvania. 



CHAPTER CLXXXV. 

James II. and his Wife, Maria d'Este. — General Dalziel and 
his long Beard. — About Beards in general. 

1. The Duke of York was in the fifty-third year of his age when 
he succeeded his brother on the throne of England, and took the 
title of James II. The Duke of Buckingham used to say that the 
difference between James and his brother was, that Charles could 
see things, if he icould ; James would see things, if he could ; mean- 
ing, that Charles possessed a natural quickness, which enabled him 
to comprehend with facility everything that he desired to learn ; but 
that James, though not so clever, was more persevering and willing 
to study. 

2. As he was very young when the civil war broke out, it is prob- 
able he received no regular education. He was about thirteen when 
he saw his father for the last time. They were both prisoners in the 
hands of the parliament. At this interview the king told him that as 
he was old enough to be trusted with a secret, he would tell him one. 
This was, that Colonel Banfield was to contrive means of conveying 
him abroad, and thai he must do all that the colonel should desire, and 
be very discreet. 

3. At last, Banfield found means to let James, who was confined 
in St. James' palace, know that all was ready, and that he would 
wait for him at one of the doors of the park. James was allowed to 
play with his sister Elizabeth in a room which opened on a back stairs 
that led to a door into the garden. That evening they had been 
left alone, and James took the opportunity of running down into the 
garden. 

4. From thence, without either hat or cloak, he contrived to get 
unperceived to the door where Banfield was waiting. James was 
hurried to a house not far off, where a woman's dress had been pro- 
vided for him. Thus disguised, he succeeded in getting on board a 
vessel which was about to sail for Holland ; this country he reached 

What of the Royal Society ? What of Charles' love of science ? 10. What new manu- 
tactures were introduced ? 
T.XXXV — 1. What of James II. ? 2. Relate the particulars of his escape fromEng- 



352 ABOUT BEARDS IN GENERAL. 

in safety, and was placed for a short time under the care of his sisicr, 
the Princess of Orange. 

5. From that time to the restoration he passed many uncomfortable 
years, sometimes at Paris with his mother, who treated him with great 
rigor, and sometimes at Bruges, or Brussels, in his brother Charles' 
court — if that could be called a court which had nothing but high- 
sounding titles to distinguish it. The lords of the bed-chamber had 
scarcely a bed to lie on, and masters of horse were obliged to go on 
foot. 

6. The good humor and easiness of Charles, who could never find 
a vexation in anything that he could turn into a joke, did something, 
indeed, to cheer and enliven the circle which surrounded him. At 
the restoration, James was made commander of the English navy ; 
which post suited him, as he had great courage, and was of an active, 
enterprising spirit. He either invented sea-signals or greatly improved 
them, and made many beneficial alterations in the management of 
naval affairs. 

7. After the death of his first wife, he married Maria Beatrice, of 
Este, daughter of the Duke of Modena. This proved an unfortunate 
marriage ; for she was an ill-judging woman, and meddled indiscreetly 
in affairs of state. She was a very beautiful, but a very proud wo- 
man. Of the latter we may give an instance. At the time she was 
Duchess of York, the duke invited old General Dalziel to dine with 
him ; but she refused to sit at the table with him, because he was a 
subject ! 

8. She at last consented to sit down to the table, upon her hus 
band's remonstrating, and telling her that, but for the good services 
of such men, he might still have been a miserable exile. This Gen- 
eral Dalziel had been a faithful servant to Charles I., and on the day 
his master was executed, he made a vow never to shave his beard 
again, but to let it grow, in token of his mourning. He lived to be 
very old, and his beard grew to be of an enormous length, and reached 
down to his girdle, while his head was entirely bald. After the 
restoration, he used to come up every year from Scotland to pay his 
respects to the king. 

9. His grotesque appearance caused much amusement to the 
courtiers, but Charles always received him with real kindness, and 
made him very welcome. It might be thought that everybody wore 
beards in old times, as the Turks do now ; but the mode of dressing 
the chin in England varied as much as the fashion of clothes. The 
Normans shaved their chins close ; and William the Conqueror almost 
drove the Anglo-Saxons to desperation by requiring them to do the 
same. 

10. In the time of the Tudors the beard appears to have been per- 
mitted to grow long ; for Henry VIII. is always painted with a beard ; 
and in some of Holbein's pictures there are very long ones. In 
Elizabeth's reign, Lord Burleigh, Lord Essex, and many others, are 

land at the commencement of the civil war. 5. How did he pass his time while out of 
England? What of Charles II 's court while abroad? 7. Whai of his second wife? 
What of General Dalziel? 9. What of beards? 



JAMES II. SEEKS TO RESTORE POPERY. - 1667. 



353 



represented with huge beards spread out, and cut square at the bot- 
tom ; but in the time of Charles I., the beard was reduced to a little 
pointed lock on the chin, which was thought to give rather a fine ex- 
pression to the countenance, except when qualified, as it generally 
was, by two fierce mustachios on the upper lip. 



CHAPTER CLXXXVI. 



James II. seeks to restore Popery. — Great Cruelties practised 
by Jeffries and Kirk in consequence of MoivmoutVs Rebel- 
lion.— Rash Conduct of James. — The Prince of Orange 
James flies to France. 



invades England. 




Bis'iops sent to the Tower by James II. 

1. James, as soon as he came to the throne, declared his intention 
of maintaining the existing laws, both in church and state ; and, as he 
had always been found sincere, this declaration served greatly to tran- 
quillize the minds of the people. Yet, notwithstanding this, he soon 
after sent a Catholic priest to Rome to negotiate a reunion with that 
church. The pope, Innocent XL, had more prudence than James, 
and advised him to attempt nothing rashly. 

2 The king's security was much increased by the suppression of a 
rebellion which had broken out, headed by the Duke of Monmouth. 



CLXXXVI. — 1. What was James' declaration to his subjects? How did his acta 
OH 



J54 THE PRINCE OF ORANGE INVADES ENGLAND. — 16S8. 






The punishment of the rebels was very severe ; and the cruelties per- 
petrated by Judge Jeffries and Colonel Kirk, have left indelible stains 
on their memories, and on that of James II. Having by this means, 
as he supposed, suppressed the discontents of his. subjects, the king 
thought, the way clear for the restoration of popery. 

3. Being led on by the rash counsels of his confessor, and the ve- 
hemence of the queen, he removed many Protestants from their offices, 
both in church and state, and filled their places with Catholics. In 
one instance he sent six bishops to the Tower, for a mild remonstrance 
against his measures. So severe was he, that his friends, the Catho- 
lics, thought his conduct dangerous and ill-judged. At last the pope 
sent a nuncio, as his ambassador is called, to England, warning the 
king of the imprudence of his conduct. 

4. There was one great drawback on the king's zeal for the resto- 
ration of popery. He had no son, and the Princess of Orange, who 
would succeed him, was a Protestant ; indeed, her husband was looked 
up to as the great support of the reformed religion in Europe. All 
that James might do would, therefore, be undone immediately after his 
death. His hopes, therefore, rested upon having a son ; and when, 
on the 10th of June, 1688, the desired event happened, he thought 
that everything would result according to his wishes. 

5. This very event, however, hastened his own expulsion from the 
throne ; for the people, who had been cheered by the hope of a Prot- 
estant sovereign after James' death, now seeing themselves cut off 
from any further indulgence of this expectation, became anxious for 
the king's dethronement ; and many persons of rank entered into secret 
negotiations with the Prince of Orange. Meanwhile, James' conduct 
seemed nothing but a course of blind infatuation. 

6. At last, his ambassador in Holland sent to warn him that he 
might expect an invasion from that country. The letter fell from his 
hand, and it was some time before he recovered the power of think- 
ing and acting. When at last he aroused himself from this state of 
consternation, the only means that occurred to him of averting the im- 
pending storm was to retract some of his late obnoxious measures. 
But these concessions gained him no credit, and were attributed only 
to fear. 

7. At this juncture a declaration from the Prince of Orange, that 
he was coming to England to redress their grievances, was received 
with joy by the people throughout the kingdom. William landed at 
Torbay, Nov. 5, 1688. The whole country was soon in commotion. 
The people combined almost universally against their misjudging and 
ill-advised king. The nobility, one after another, joined the invader. 
Even those upon whom James thought he could most surely rely 
deserted him ; Prince George, of Denmark, who had married his 
daughter Anne, among the rest. 

8. This princess herself left London. When the news of her de- 
parture was brought to the poor monarch, he burst into tears. " God 



conform to it? 2. What of Monmouth's rebellion? What of Jeffries and Kirk? 3 
Who were James' advisers ? 4. What drawback to James' zeal? Was this removed? 
5. What were the consequences? 6. What priest warned James of his danger ? How 



JAMES ESCAPES TO FRANCE. — 16S8. 



355 



help me," he exclaimed, " my own children have forsaken me !" In 
the extremity of perplexity and dismay, he assembled the few noble- 
men who had not yet deserted him. Addressing the Earl of Bedford, 
father of Lord William Russell, who, it will be recollected, was exe- 
cuted by James' intrigues in the preceding reign, " My lord," said 
he, k ' you are an honest man, have great credit, and can do me signal 
service " 




Landing of the Prince of Orange. 

9. " Ah, sir," replied the earl, "lam old and feeble; I can do 
but little service ; but I once had a son that could have assisted you, 
but he is no more." The king was now left to the influence of the 
priests and the queen, who were continually urging him to flight, hold- 
ing up the fate of Charles I. as a warning. Yielding to their fears 
and clamors, he forebore to make one effort to preserve his throne. 
Sending his wife and infant son secretly away, he himself left London 
on the 12th Dec, attended only by Sir Edward Hales. 

10. His intention was to get on board a ship at Sheerness, and to 
escape into France. But he was stopped at Feversham, and led back 
to London, much to the dissatisfaction of the Prince of Orange, who 
had promised his wife that her father should receive no personal in- 
jury. William therefore secretly assisted James in a second attempt 
to escape. On the 25th Dec. he landed in France, and proceeded 
to St. Germains, near Paris, where he was received by Louis XIV. 
with great generosity and commiseration. He had reigned three 
year.°. 



did he seeK to avert jt? With what effect? 7. When did William land in England? 
How was he received? 9. Relate the remainder of James' story. 



356 REVOLUTION OF lfoS. 

FAMILY OF JAMES II. 

WIVES. 

Anne Hyde, daughter of the Earl of Clarendon. 
2. Maria D'Este, daughter of the Duke of Modena. 

CHILDREN. 

Mary, married to the Prince of Orange > CMldren f A H d 

Anne, married to Prince George, 01 Denmark, ) J 

James Francis Edward, called the Pretender, } 

Maria Louisa, who was to have been a nun, > Children of Maria D'Este. 
but death prevented, 3 



CHAPTER CLXXXVH. 

The Revolution of 16S8. — William and Mary called to the 
Throne. — William makes himself very disagreeable to the 
People. 

1. The country was now virtually without any government. 
Parliament was assembled as speedily as possible. After a long 
contest between the whigs and tories, it was finally decreed that the 
throne was vacant by the abdication of James II. They proceeded 
to fill it, by making the Prince and Princess of Orange joint sover- 
eigns, and they took the title of William and Mary. They received 
the crown upon certain terms set forth in what is called the " Bill of 
Rights." 

2. By this " Bill," the powers of the sovereign and the rights of 
the people were defined ; thus settling the questions which had so 
long vexed the nation. In case these sovereigns died without leaving 
children, the Princess Anne was to succeed ; and in 1701, when it 
had become probable that this princess would die, leaving no family, 
a further law was passed, settling the crown on Sophia, wife of the 
Elector of Hanover, and her descendants, being Protestants. 

3. Sophia was the grand-daughter of James I., being the daughter 
of the Queen of Bohemia, as she was called, an imaginary dignity as- 
sumed by her husband. Thus resolute were the parliament in exclud- 
ing the young Prince of Wales; whom many, without any reason, 
declared not to be the son of James and Maria D'Este ; but an infant 
acknowledged by them for the purpose of depriving Mary of her right 
to the succession. 

4. The abdication of James II. and the election of William and 
Mary, is called The Revolution of 1688. William III. was in his 
39th year when called to the throne. He was of middle height and 
very thin. It is said that he was so feeble, that he was commonly 

CLXXXVH. — 1. What did parliament do after James II. left England? 2. What is 
the Bill of Rights? Upon whom was the crown settled if William and Mary left no 
children ? 4. What was the change in sovereigns called ? What of William III. 1 



WILLIAM AND MARY CALLED TO THE THRONE. — 1658. 357 

obliged to be lifted on horseback; but that, when once mounted, he 
managed his horse with admirable skill, and seemed as if he imbibed 
the strength and spirit of the animal he rode. He had an aquiline 
nose, a high forehead, fine eyes, and a very grave aspect. 

5. His countenance was an index to his mind ; for he was gravity 
itself; cold and inflexible; reserved, but not artful. Nothing enliv- 
ened him but the animation of a battle. He then seemed to put on a 
different nature, and was full of spirit and alacrity. His chief favor- 
ites were two Dutchmen, Bentinck, whom he created Duke of Port- 
land, and De Ginkel, whom he made Earl of Athlone. They were 
able men, and much respected, and faithful servants to the king, who 
was as grave and reserved with them as with everybody else. 

6. Mary had a fine person, with an engaging countenance, accom- 
panied by an air of great dignity. She had a good understanding, 
which she had cultivated by reading. She took great delight in the 
conversation of learned and pious men, especially of John Tillotson, 
Archbishop of Canterbury, a truly good man, who died in 1694. 
Mary was also fond of needle-work, and introduced the fashion, which 
was so prevalent a hundred years ago, of working tent-stitch, and 
cross-stitch for carpets and chair-cushions. 

7. The example of the queen would seem to have had great influ- 
ence over female manners ; for, before her time, the ladies of Eng- 
land were remarkable for being never employed. William had not 
been long King of England before he and his new subjects became 
mutually discontented with each other. He had been bred in camps, 
and was accustomed to the implicit obedience which is always paid to 
a general. He found the management of a free people so troublesome, 
that at one time he was very near resigning the crown in disgust. 

8. The English, on their side, were out of humor with a monarch 
who, instead of living among them in a social way, as former sover- 
eigns were wont to do, spent most of his time either alone in Ins 
closet, or at a camp he had formed near Hounslow ; and when he 
did show himself in his court, he appeared sullen and out of humor. 
Another ground of complaint was his partiality for his native country, 
to avenge whose quarrels he was willing to involve England in a war 
with France. 

6. What of Mary? What fashion did she introduce 1 7. What of the feeling of Wilbur 
towards the people ? 8. What was the feeling of the people ? 



358 THE MASSACRE OF GLENCOE. — 1690. 



CHAPTER CLXXXVIII. 

The Highlanders refuse to acknowledge William and Mary. 
— The Massacre of Glencoe. — French Troops invade Ire- 
land. — Battle of the Boyne. — Death of James II. 

1. The neighboring - countries of Scotland and Ireland did not sub- 
mit so quietly as England to the rule of the new sovereigns. The 
parliament of Scotland had, indeed, declared their throne to be vacant, 
and offered it to William and Mary. But a considerable portion of 
those Scots who inhabit the mountainous parts of Scotland, and are 
hence called Highlanders, refused to abandon their old sovereign. 
These people were, at that time not much more civilized than our 
Indians. 

2. Their chief delight was in war and in hunting. They were 
very strict in keeping up relationships ; and all persons who were 
descended on the father's side from the same ancestors were consid- 
ered as belonging to one family or clan. The head of the family was 
the chief of the clan. The attachment which the rest bore to the 
chief was of the most ardent kind, and they were always ready to 
follow wherever he chose to lead them. 

3. Lord Dundee and other chiefs, taking the part of James, sum- 
moned their clansmen to follow them. They met and defeated a 
large body of William's troops at Killicrankie. Dundee himself 
was, however, killed, and his death so broke the spirit of the High- 
landers, that the different clans in a short time submitted to the 
authority of William. A general pardon was offered to all who 
should take the oath of allegiance — that is, should swear to obey 
William — on or before a particular day. 

4. Macdonald, of Glencoe, a Highland chief, had put off taking 
the oath till the last day, and then, unfortunately mistaking the place 
where it was to be received, went to Fort William instead of Inverary. 
When he found his error he set off in all haste for Inverary ; but the 
roads being bad and the snow deep on the ground, he did not arrive 
there till after the stated day. In consideration, however, of the cir- 
cumstances, he and his clan were allowed to take the oath, and 
returned home feeling secure of pardon and protection. 

5. The Earl of Breadalbane, chief of one branch of the Campbells, 
had a private pique against Macdonald, and had savagely sworn to 
effect his destruction. Under color of his having refused to take at 
the proper time the required oath, he represented him to the king as 
an obstinate rebel. The Earl of Stair, the secretary of state for 
Scotland, seems to have joined also in the horrible plot. In conse- 
quence of their representations, William granted a warrant for the 
destruction, not only of Macdonald, but of his whole clan. 

G. A party of the Campbells was sent to Glencoe. They were 

CLXXXVIII. — 1. Did Scotlnnd and Ireland submit, to the new sovereigns ? What of 
the Highlanders ? 3. What of their success in James' cause? 4,5,6. Relate the par- 



<• 



INVASION OF IRELAND.— 1690. 359 

received by the Macdonalds as friends, and stayed with them nearly a 
fortnight. At length, supposing that the passes of the mountains 
were stopped by troops, they fell like butchers on the unwarned and 
unsuspecting Macdonalds. Nearly forty persons were massacred. 
The rest made their escape, the severity of the weather having pre- 
vented the troops from actualy closing the passes. 

7. Many of those who had thus escaped for the present, perished 
afterwards by famine, by exposure to the weather, or died of grief. 
This shocking outrage caused a general detestation of William's 
government, and was the beginning of a long series of troubles in 
Scotland. The king tried to excuse himself by saying that he signed 
the fatal warrant in the hurry of business, without being aware of its 
full import. 

8. Louis XIV. of France had a great passion for military glory, 
and for conquering other countries ; but of late years his projects had 
been defeated, chiefly by the sagacity and courage of William while 
yet Prince of Orange. Louis was very ready, therefore, to assist 
James in humbling this rival, and furnished him with a body of troops, 
with which he landed in Ireland, where the people, who were for the 
most part Papists, received him with gladness. 

9. Londonderry, which was occupied by Protestants, held out for 
William. James laid siege to it ; but the people, after being reduced 
to the utmost extremity for want of food, were finally relieved. At 
length William came over to Ireland, at the head of a large army. 
The hostile forces, commanded by the rivals for the crown in person, 
came in sight of each other on opposite sides of ihe river Boyne, on 
the 29th of June, 1690. William had a narrow escape ; for, whilst 
taking a survey of the enemy, a cannon-ball killed two persons stand 
ing near, and slightly wounded him also. 

10. The decisive battle was fought the next day. William, who 
led his troops in person to the attack, remained master of the field 
James watched the progress of the battle from a neighboring hill. 
He was frequently heard to exclaim, " Oh ! spare my English sub- 
jects!" for, though fighting against him, he could not bear to see 
them slain. When he saw his troops give way, he turned his horse's 
head towards Dublin, and fled without making one effort to retrieve 
the fortune of the day. 

11. He had now lost all the resolution and activity which had dis- 
tinguished him in the former part of his life ; his mind seemed to be 
entirely subdued. When he arrived at Dublin he assembled the 
magistrates and announced to them his intention of abandoning the 
country. In a few days he sailed for France, and there passed the 
rest of his life, practising the austerities of a monk. He died in 
1701. After the battle of the Boyne, the Jacobites, as the partisans 
of James were called, made no very serious attempt to overthrow the 
power of William. 

titulars ofthe massacre of Glencoe. 7. What of the king's part in theoutrage? 8. What 
of Louis XIV. ? 9. When was the battle of the Boyne fought? Between whom? 11. 
What ii James-' conduct during the battle? What were his partisans called? 



360 DEATH OF MARY. — 1694. OF WILLIAM. — 1702. 



CHAPTER CLXXXIX. 

Peace of Ryswick. — Death of Mary ; of William. — Peter 
the Great's Visit to England. — Evelyn's Garden at Sayes 
Court. 

1. As the three kingdoms were now reduced to submission, Wil- 
liam was at liberty to attend personally to the conduct of the war on 
the continent of Europe. Leaving England in January, 1691, he 
landed in Holland, narrowly escaping death by drowning ; for, in his 
impatience, he had attempted to land from his ship when she was at a 
distance from the shore, in an open boat ; but the wind rising, he was 
tossed about for eighteen hours. He spent nearly the whole of the 
next three years on the continent. 

2. During his absence Queen Mary governed the kingdom with 
great firmness and judgment, and at the same time with great mild- 
ness. She endeared herself much to the people, who sincerely 
lamented her death, which was occasioned by the small-pox, Dec. 
28, 1694. William was in England at the time, and suffered as 
much from the event as his cold temper would permit. He returned 
to the continent, and continued the war against France till 1697, 
when the peace of Ryswick, as it is called, because concluded at that 
place, restored tranquillity to Europe. 

3. This endured, however, but a short time, and William was mak- 
ing active preparations for a renewal of hostilities against France, 
when an accident put an end to his life. On the 21st Feb., 1702, 
as he was riding from Hampton Court to Kensington, his horse fell 
with him, and he was thrown with so much violence that he broke 
his collar-bone. His attendants conveyed him back to Hampton 
Court, where the bone was set ; but the same evening he went to 
Kensington in a coach, and the jolting of the carriage again dislocated 
the bone. 

4. Recovering partially from the effects of the accident, he again 
relapsed, and died on the 8th of March, 1702, in the 52d year of his 
age, and 14th of his reign. After his death, a ring, containing some 
of the late queen's hair, was found fastened by a black ribbon to his 
arm. William appears to have had a regard for one portion of 
his subjects at least, for he appropriated his palace at Greenwich as 
a hospital for sick and disabled seamen. The poor, worn-out soldier 
was already provided for in the hospital at Chelsea, founded by 
Charles II. 

5. Daring the cessation of hostilities which we have mentioned, 
England received a visit from a very remarkable personage. The 
people of Russia at this period were quite barbarians ; they knew few 
of the arts, and none of the refinements of life. Their sovereign, or 

CLXXXIX. — I. What of William after peace was restored in his kingdom? 2. When 
did Mary die? When was peace restored? What is it called? 3. What caused Wil- 
liam's death? When? 4. In what, year of his life? Of his reign? To what purpose 
wa3 Greenwich palace appropriated? What Chelsea hospital ? 5. What of Peter I., of 



PETER THE GREAT YISITS ENGLAND. — 1693. 361 

czar, as he is called, Peter I., was of an active mind and great 
capacity, and he was filled with the highest ambition of a great 
monarch, that of improving the condition of those whom he is ap- 
pointed to govern. His first attempt was to promote the discipline 
of his troops. 

6. He enlisted as a common soldier in one of his own regiments ; 
he procured German officers, and set the example of learning the 
exercise. He next attended to the formation of a navy. He spent 
many months at Archangel, living for the most part on board the 
Dutch and English ships which happened to be there. Eut a full 
knowledge of ship-building could not thus be acquired ; so, laying aside 
his rank and title, he went in the train of his own ambassador to 
Holland, passing by the name of Peter Michaelef. 

7. Here he worked for some time as a common ship-carpenter. 
The shed under which he worked, and a boat of his building, are still 
preserved at Saardam. From Holland he passed over to England, 
still using his assumed name, that he might avoid all the tedious cer- 
emonies he must have submitted to, had he appeared as a royal per- 
sonage. Still it was very well known who Peter Michaelef was, and 
care was taken by William that he should have every attention con- 
sistent with his wishes. 

8. Peter established himself at Deptford, a great naval station. 
Our old friend, Mr. Evelyn, had a house at Deptford, called Sayes 
Court. Having great skill in gardening, he had spared no expense 
in adorning the grounds about it, and it was considered a pattern of 
elegance. The grounds were laid out in a style which would not 
suit the taste of the present day. It was called the Dutch style, in 
compliment to William, but was, in fact, the French style, being in 
imitation of Louis XIV.'s gardens at Versailles. 

9. It was very formal and artifical, the garden being principally 
laid out in flower borders, which were disposed in regular shapes 
and patterns. The more fantastical the shapes of the flower-beds, 
and the more complicated the walks, the more they were admired 
provided the opposite sides of the garden corresponded with one 
another. There were walks between clipped hedges, cascades, foun- 
tains, statues, yew-trees cut into all kinds of shapes, arbors, and ter- 
races. 

10. With all the variety, there was a regularity and formality 
which the poet Pope well describes, when he says, — 

" Grove nods at grove ; each alley has its brother, 
And half the platform just reflects the other." 

Unluckily for Mr. Evelyn, William desired him to accommodate 

Peter with his house. The czar, whose mind could embrace great 

objects, had no taste for neatness ; and the house and grounds were 

soon reduced to a lamentable state of disorder by the hard-working 

czar, who made no ceremony of destroying the shrubs and trampling 

down the flowers. 

— ^ _ _ 

Russia's character? 6.7. Relate such particulars of his. life as are given. 8. What is 
saiil of Mr. Evelyn's garden? What style is this called? Of what is it an imitation ] 
'J. What of the style? 10,11. What of Peter's amusements at Sayes Court? 

31 



362 ENGLISH SOCIETY DURING THE CIVIL WARS. 

11. One of his diversions was to be wheeled in a wheelbarrow 
through the neat-clipped hedges that had been raised with so much 
care and cost. The czar staid three months at Deptford ; and he and 
his people, who, as Mr. Evelyn's old servant said to his master, were 
"right nasty," left the place in a deplorable condition. The king 
paid for the actual damage they did, but could not restore the beauty 
of the gardens. 



CHAPTER CXC. 



Changes in Style of Living and Manners during the Civil 
Wars. — About the Arms and Dress of the Soldiers. — The 
Healing Art. 

1. In old times, as the reader will remember, the nobles lived in 
their castles like petty sovereigns, and maintained a splendid hospi- 
tality ; and when they came to London they kept open house, and 
friends and retainers were sumptuously entertained. But the civil 
wars had made a great change in this respect. Many of the old 
nobles had lost all their property, and of those who had any, the 
larger part had acquired other tastes during their exile. 

2. A writer of the time of Charles II. tells us that " the English 
are generally great fesh-eniers, although, by the nearness of the sea, 
and abundance of rivers, there is no lack of fish. In former times 
their table was covered four times a day ; they had breakfasts of 
meat, dinners of meat, beverages of meat, and suppers ; but in the 
late troubles, many eminent families being impoverished, a custom 
was taken up by many of the nobility and gentry, of eating a plentiful 
dinner, but little or no supper." 

3. Charles I. was the last sovereign of England who lived in that 
style of magnificence and abundant plenty, which used to excite 
amazement in the foreigners who visited the country. There were 
daily in his palace at Whitehall eighty-six tables, well furnished at 
each meal, as we may suppose, when we learn that there were more 
than five hundred dishes at each meal, with bread, wine, beer, and 
all other necessaries, liberally served. In this hospitality he followed 
the example of his father, who hoped thereby to endear the English 
to his royal house, as they had ever been fond of good cheer. 

4. We are reminded of another change which took place about 
the close of the civil war. Before this time the officers generally 
wore defensive armor, and the soldiers leathern coats, or buff jer- 
kins, as they were called. But now this armor went entirely out 
of use, and in William's reign the armor-makers presented a peti- 
tion to the house of commons, praying them to compel the use of 
it, for that otherwise their trade would be ruined. Their trade was 

CXC. — 1. What, change in the style of living among the nobles? What occasioned 
it? 3. What of Charles I. 's hospitality ? 4. What of the use of armor 1 5. What of 



ARMS AND DRESS OF THE SOLDIERS. 363 

mdeea ruined, for it would have been absurd to load the body with a 
, weight of iron, which the use of fire-arms rendered no longer a pro- 
tection . * 

5. Fire-arms were not adopted in the English army till long after 
they were invented ; and, indeed, when we learn what strange, clumsy 
things the first guns (or harquebusses) were, we are not surprised 
that the English bowmen, who excelled all others, should be averse 
to using them. These old guns were so heavy, that it was necessary 
to rest them on a forked stick before they could be levelled ; and 
when the gun was propped on its staff, or rest, a lighted match was 
used for firing it. 

6. The pistol was the next improvement on this unwieldy weapon, 
and had its name from being originally made at Pistoja, in Tuscany; 
but this was a very clumsy thing, being only a short harquebuss. In 
time, the contrivance of striking fire with a flint, and a reduction in 
the size and weight of fire-arms, brought them into general use, and 
the bow and arrow were entirely laid aside, as was also the pike, 
another formidable weapon, which was much in use in the sixteenth 
and seventeenth centuries. 

7. The first account we have of any attempt to dress soldiers in 
uniform, is in an order of Henry VIII. for the clothing of some 
troops raised for an invasion of France. The coats were to be blue 
with a great deal of red about them, and every man was to wear a red 
stocking on his right leg, and a blue one on his left. In Queen Eliz- 
abeth's time there were some regulations respecting soldiers' dress. 
One company, as we learn, was to be " clothed in motley, or some 
other sad-green color." A regular national uniform was not estab- 
lished before the time of George 1. 

8. As we have been speaking of the improvement in the weapons 
of war, it may not be amiss to say something of the progress in the 
art of healing wounds. On the first introduction of fire-anns, it was 
an opinion among the surgeons that there was something venomous 
in gunpowder, which poisoned all gunshot injuries, and their method 
of cure was to pour boiling oil into the wound. Happily, a youno- 
surgeon, Ambrose Pare, in the army of Francis I., of France, having 
on one occasion expended all his oil, was obliged to dress the re- 
mainder of the soldiers' wounds without it. 

9. He could hardly sleep, as he tells us, thinking of his patients, 
and rose early in the morning, expecting to find all those whose 
wounds had not been scalded, either dead or " empoisoned." But to 
his surprise he found that they had rested well, and were free from 
pain, while the others were in fevers, and their wounds inflamed ; 

• " which being the case," he adds, " I resolved with myself never to 
burn gunshot wounds any more." 

the use of fire-arms? 6. From what did the pistol derive its name? 7. What of the 
uniform dress of soldiers? 8. Wliai was the old mode ol dressing gunshot wounds? 
Who introduced a change? 



364 QUEEN ANNE. — 1702. 

CHAPTER CXCI. 

Queen Anne. — The Duke of Marlborough. — Battle of Blen- 

heim. 

1. William and Mary having no children, Queen Anne succeeded 
to the throne, being in the thirty-ninth year of her age. She had 
a good natural capacity, but it had been very little cultivated. In 
private life she would have been a very estimable character, but she 
wanted the decision and energy necessary to make a great queen. 
Her person was engaging, but without dignity. Her features were 
regular, but her complexion was too florid, and her face too full and 
plump to be perfectly handsome. 

2. She had married, in 1683, George, son of the Kin/; of Den- 
mark. The husband of a queen, in her own right, does 'iOt become 
a king, and Prince George had no greater dignity in tb j state than 
those of commander-in-chief of the queen's forces, and '.ord high ad- 
miral, or commander-in-chief of the navy. They had r*any children, 
who all died in infancy, except one son. This young prince lived to 
be eleven years old. 

3. His death was occasioned by catching cold, after having been 
heated in dancing. It caused the most bitter grief to his parents, 
especially his mother, who, after that event, never regained her 
former vivacity. She considered the early death of all her children 
as a punishment inflicted by Heaven for her failure in filial duty 
Though Anne took part with her sister and William against her 
father, she never seemed satisfied with her conduct in so doing ; and 
it was generally believed that, had James outlived William, she 
would have declined the crown. 

4. She did not feel the same scruples with regard to her brother ; 
still, however, her heart inclined to his cause, and nothing but her 
anxiety for the Protestant establishment prevented her from taking a 
decided part in favor of his claims to succeed herself upon the throne. 
This question about the succession agitated the kingdom during her 
whole reign. The tories were in favor of the Pretender, as he was 
called, and of the house of Stuart, while the whigs were friends of 
the house of Hanover and the Protestant succession, as it had been 
established by law. 

5. The greatest weakness in Anne's character, was that of being 
too much influenced by her favorites, to whom she attached herself 
ardently, and whom she permitted to treat her with more freedom 
than it was judicious for a queen to allow. The first and chief 
favorite was Sarah Jennings, wife of John Churchill, w r ho became 
Duke of Marlborough. The duchess was a clever woman, but of an 
imperious and meddling temper. So great was the intimacy be- 
tween her and the queen, that for a long time they corresponded 

GXCL — I. What of Queen Anne? 2. What of her husband ? What of her children? 
How did the death of her children affect her? 4. What of the question of succession ? 
r> What weakness had Anne? Who was her first favorite? What of the Duke of Mart- 



BATTLE OF BLENHEIM. — 1704. 365 

with each other, under the assumed names of Mrs. Freeman and Mrs. 
Morley. 

G. The father of John Churchill held some inferior place in the 
court of Charles II. Young Churchill entered the army at twelve 
years old, and was engaged in active service nearly the whole of his 
life, which proved a long one. His great abilities recommended hire 
to -William, who made him F^arl of Marlborough, and appointed him 
to the command of his armies, first in Ireland, and afterwards on tht 
continent. 

7. On the accession of Anne, he was appointed to the command of 
the English troops in the new war which England, in connection with 
Germany and Holland, was about to undertake against France and 
Spain, and for which William was preparing at the°time of his death. 
Marlborough was also appointed by ttie Dutch to the chief command 
of their troops. The campaign of 1702 was not distinguished by any 
great event. ' 

8. There is a story told of a remarkable escape which Marlborough 
himself met with at this time. He had embarked on the river Meuse, 
with some Dutch deputies and a guard of soldiers, and was intending 
to go to the Hague. At the close of the evening, some French troops, 
who had been lurking about, and were on the watch for plunder, sud- 
denly darted out from among the reeds by the river side, and seizing 
the hauling-line, rushed into the boat. 

9. They immediately secured the soldiers, and would have made 
the Dutch deputies prisoners also, had they not produced their pass- 
ports. Marlborough was not provided with a passport, but one of his 
attendants having an old one, slipped it into his hand ; and the French 
officer, not having time to examine it, let him go, after plundering the 
boat and carrying off the soldiers. Marlborough and his companions 
arrived safely at the Hague, where they found the town in the utmost 
consternation, a report having reached it that they had all been taken 
prisoners. 

10. The war was carried on with great activity during 1703. In 
1704, the English and Dutch armies, under the command^of Marlbo- 
rough, who had now become a duke, were joined by the army of the 
Emperor of Germany, under Prince Eugene. On the 13th of August, 
1704, the combined armies gained, at Blenheim, a complete victory 
over the French. The consequences of this triumph were of immense; 
importance, and the Duke of Marlborough, who was from this time 
looked up to as the greatest commander since the Black Prince, re- 
ceived a corresponding reward. The queen bestowed on him the estate 
of Woodstock, near Oxford, and a noble mansion was there built for 
him at the public expense, to which was given the name of Blenheim. 

11. The duke's success in war was not accidental. He possessed 
the qualities which ensure success in every profession. lie was a 
man of extreme calmness and tranquillity; nothing flurried, nothing 
disconcerted him. Commanding an army composed of men of differ 
ent nations, whose interests were perpetually clashing, he listened to 
no cabals, but acted for the public cause. 

borough in early life ? 8. What escape had he ? 10. When was the battle of Bleuhein 
31* 



366 GIBRALTAR TAKEN FROM THE SPANIARDS. — 1704. 

12. Of his command of temper, we remember one very sti iking 
instance. Prince Eugene had proposed, at a council of war, that an 
attack should be made the next day on the enemy. Though nothing 
could be more evidently judicious than this proposal, the duke posi- 
tively refused to consent to it. The prince called him a coward, and 
challenged him to fight a duel ; but Marlborough kept his temper, 
and declined the challenge. Upon this, Eugoue, being violently en- 
raged, left the council. 

13. Early the next morning he was awoke by Marlborough, who, 
coming to his bedside, desired him to rise, as he was preparing to 
make the attack, and added, " I could not tell you my determination 
last night, because there was a person present who I knew would be- 
tray our plans to the enemy." The prince, ashamed of his own intem- 
perate conduct, asked pardon of the duke, who accepted his apologies, 
saying, " I thought, my dear prince, you would in time be satisfied." 



CHAPTER CXCIL 

Gibraltar taken from the Spaniards. — Ingratitude of the 
Country to its Captors. — Sir Cloudesley Shovel. — Robin- 
son Crusoe. 

1. The treatment of the Duke of Marlborough by his sovereign and 
fellow-subjects, contrasts strangely with that received by a distin- 
guished naval commander. The fortress of Gibraltar, which com- 
mands the entrance to the Mediterranean Sea, had hitherto been 
deemed impregnable. It stands on the summit of a steep and rocky 
mountain, and is almost inaccessible, even when the approach is 
unopposed. A few brave troops, under a skilful commander, could 
hold it against the most numerous armies. 

2. Sir George Rooke, returning with a squadron from an unsuccess- 
ful expedition against Barcelona, determined to retrieve any reputation 
which he might have lost, by taking this fortress. The Prince of 
Hesse, who commanded the land forces, very unwillingly yielded his 
assent to what he considered a hopeless attempt. So it proved, so far 
as the land forces were concerned. The soldiers could effect nothing. 

3. A detachment of sailors was then landed, who, mounting the 
rocks with the ease and alacrity of the monkeys who make their home 
among them, soon compelled the governor to surrender ; and the 
Prince of Hesse entered the town, amazed at the success of so despe- 
rate an enterprise. Sir George might well have expected rewards 
and honors for so brilliant an exploit. But he had no influential wife 
at the side of the queen, no powerful friends in parliament. 

4. An attempt was made by some one to get a vote of thanks from 
the latter, but that body decided that the exploit was not worth their 

fought? Between whom? 11. What of Marlborough's abilities ? 12,13. What in 
stance of his command of temper? 
GXGI1. — 1. What of the fortress of Gibraltar 1 2. Relate the particulars of its cap- 



SIR CLOUDESLEY SHOVEL. 367 

thanks, and Sir George was suffered to pass the rest of his life in 
retirement and obscurity. From all Marlborough's victories, England 
derived no permanent advantage, but merely the name of having beaten 
her enemies. But Gibraltar still remains to her, and is one of the 
most important of her foreign possessions. 

5. There was another naval commander who is worthy of mention. 
This was Sir Cloudesley Shovel, who was born of poor parents, and 
apprenticed, when very young, to a shoemaker. This employment 
was not at all to his taste, so he left his master, and became a cabin- 
boy on board a ship of war. During the heat of an engagement, the 
admiral wished to send some despatches to another ship, and young 
Cloudesley volunteered to perform the dangerous service. Taking 
the papers in his mouth, he conveyed them in safety through the 
enemy's line of fire. 

6. This bold deed obtained for him the notice of the officers of the 
fleet. In time he was made a lieutenant, and after that, his rise was 
rapid. Both James and William. promoted him. From Anne he 
received many honors and distinctions ; but none of these altered the 
original simplicity of his manners and character. In 1705 he was sent 
with a fleet to aid the operations, in Spain, of the Earl of Peterborough, 
a general whose exploits have all the character of the age of chivalry. 

7. As Sir Cloudesley was returning from this expedition, in 1707, 
his ship, with three others, was wrecked on the rocks of the Scilly 
Isles. Out of the four ships' crews, only one captain and twenty-four 
seamen were saved. Sir Cloudesley's body was found on the shore, 
having been stripped by the country people and buried in the sand. 
It was afterwards taken up and deposited in Westminster Abbey, 
where lie buried the bodies of most Englishmen who have been dis- 
tinguished in any profession. 

8. Many years after the shipwreck, an old woman sent for a clergy- 
man, and told him that she wished, before she died, to confess to him 
a dreadful crime, which burdened her conscience. She then told him 
'that Admiral Shovel had survived the wreck, and had reached her hut 
in a very exhausted state ; that he lay down on her bed to rest, and 
that she, tempted by the value of the things he had about him, had 
murdered him. 

9. This shipwreck reminds us of Robinson Crusoe, whose adven- 
tures were written by Daniel Defoe, a voluminous author of Queen 
Anne's reign. It is not a real history, but a fictitious story. It is 
supposed that the adventures of Alexander Selkirk, who lived some 
years on the island of Juan Fernandez, in the Pacific Ocean, suggested 
to Defoe the idea of writing this delightful book ; a work which has 
been translated into more languages than perhaps any other book of 
amusement. 

Hire. 4. What reward had the captors ? 5. Relate what is said of Sir Cloudesley ShoveL 
8. What of his death ? 9. What of Robinson Crusoe J 



168 PEACE OF UTRECHT. — 1713. 



CHAPTER CXCIII. 

Marlborough continues his victorious Career. — He loses tht 
Favor of the Queen and the People. — Peace of Utrecht. — 
Contests between the Whigs and Tories. — Death of Anne. 
— Union between Scotland and E?tgland. 

1. We left the Duke of Marlborough enjoying the reward of his 
successful campaign on the continent. He gained many more victo- 
ries during the war ; of which the most celebrated are those of 
Ramillies, May 23d, 1706; of Oudenarde, July 11, 1708; and of 
Malplaquet, Sept. 11, 1709. All this time his enemies and rivals 
at home were busily endeavoring to undermine his favor with the 
queen ; and they at last succeeded. 

2. He had always had great influence in the political councils 
of Anne ; but he was now supplanted by Mr. Harley, afterwards 
Earl of Oxford. At the same time a Mrs. Masham supplanted the 
Duchess of Marlborough as the queen's favorite. Marlborough, as 
his favor diminished at court, seems to have lost the affections of the 
people. On coming into England in 1710, instead of being caressed 
as formerly, and received with a triumphant welcome, he saw him- 
self insulted and reviled. 

3. He returned to the army, and continued to conduct the affairs of 
the war with his usual ability and success. But the tories, at the 
head of whom was the Earl of Oxford, were not content till they pro- 
cured his dismissal from the command of the army ; which they 
effected in 1711. Animosity towards him was not the sole motive for 
this ; the war had been a favorite measure with the whigs. 

4. The tories were desirous of peace, and they could not effect 
their wishes so long as Marlborough retained any power, for it was 
believed, and his well-known avarice gave some foundation for the 
belief, that all his influence would be exerted to continue + he war, 
that he might retain his lucrative offices. The tories prevailed, and 
peace was signed at Utrecht in April, 1713. By this treaty, New- 
foundland, Hudson's Bay, and the Island of St. Christopher were 
ceded by France to England. 

5. Louis also agreed to abandon the cause of the Pretender, who 
had now assumed the name of the Chevalier St. George. Louis, 
however, still continued to protect him. He had married a daughter 
of John Sobieski, King of Poland. He had two sons, Charles Ed- 
ward and Henry. The eldest was afterwards known as the young 
pretender. Henry became a Roman Catholic priest, and was after- 
wards Cardinal of York. 

6. The intolerable dissensions between the leaders of the two great 

CXCIII. — 1. What other victories did Marlborough obtain 1 Give the dates. 2. By 
whom was Marlborough supplanted in Anne's favor? Who supplanted his wife ? What 
of Marlborough's favor with the people ? 3. What did his opponents do ? 4. What of 
the peace? When and where was it signed? 5. What of the Pretender ? What of his 
sons ? f>. What of the quarrels between the whigs and tories ? What did the whigs do 



DEATH OF QUEEN ANNE. — 1714. 36, 

parties, the whigs and the tories, who never met at the council witl' 
out violent altercations, kept the queen in such a state of disquietude i 
as at last to destroy her health. The whigs proved in the end th i 
strongest ; and at length, the queen's death visibly approaching, * 
letter was sent to George, Elector of Hanover, who, by the death of 
his mother, Sophia, was the head of the Protestant succession, desiring 
him to come to Holland, where a fleet should be in waiting to esco/t 
nim to England. 

7. Heralds were kept in waiting to proclaim King George the 
instant the queen should expire. The seaports were all secured, and 
every precaution taken to prevent the Tories and Jacobites from at- 
tempting the restoration of the Stuarts. The queen died Aug. 1, 
1714, in the 50th year of her age, and the 13th of her reign. Prince 
George died several years before her. With Anne the line of sover- 
eigns of the house of Stuart ended. 

8. Though Anne was a woman of no very brilliant qualities, yet 
many lasting benefits were in her reign conferred on the country. 
Among these was the union with Scotland. Hitherto England and 
Scotland had been considered as separate countries ; each had its own 
parliament, and regarded itself as an independent kingdom, subject, 
however, to the same sovereign. 

9. This was a very troublesome arrangement, and a perfect union 
had long been desired by the most discreet persons of both kingdoms. 
This was now effected ; the two kingdoms were henceforth to be one 
country ; each was to retain its own peculiar laws, and one parlia- 
ment was to serve for both. This measure, which met with much 
opposition at the time, has proved of incalculable benefit to both 
countries. 

FAMILY OF ANNE. 
HUSBAND. 

George, son of the King of Denmark. 

CHILDREN. 

She had nine children, all of whom died in infancy except one son, named 
George, who lived to be eleven years old, and died in 1700. 

TABLE OF SOVEREIGNS OF THE STUART FAMILY. 

Began to reign. Reigned. 

1603 ... 22 years. James I. of England and VI. of Scotland, great - 

great-grandson of Henry VII. 
1625. . . 24 " Charles I., son of James I. Beheaded by order of 
the parliament. 

COMMONWEALTH. 

1653 ... 5 " Oliver Cromwell, Lord Protector. 
1658 . . . Richard Cromwell, Lord Protector, resigns his 

power. 

when the queen became ill? 7. When did she die? 8, 8. What particular benefit did 
•he confer on the country? 

24 



370 



GREAT MEN OF QUEEN ANNE'S TIME. — 1702— 1714. 



HOUSE OF STUART RESTORED TO THE THRONE. 

Charles II., son of Charles I. 

James II., son of Charles I. He abdicates the 

throne. 
William III. and Mary. The latter the daughter 

of James II. 
Anne, daughter of James II. 



1660 . . 
1685 . . 


. 25 years, 
. 3 " 


1683 . . 


.14 " 


1"02 . . 


. 12 " 



CHAPTER CXCIV. 

Of the great Men of Queen Anne's Time. — Newton — Locke 
— Clarke — Pope — A ddison — Swift — Watts. 




1. The reign of Anne was a very brilliant epoch in English his- 
tory, and very few other periods can be named in which so many men 
of genius flourished together. We have already spoken about the 
chief naval and military heroes. We must now mention some of those 
who contributed to give the age a much more lasting reputation. 

2. First comes Sir Isaac Newton, who was not only one of the 
profoundest philosophers, but also one of the most sincere and humble 
Christians that ever lived. His father was a gentleman of small 
estate at Woolstrop, and died when his son, who was born on Christ- 
mas-day, 1642, was very young. His widow married again, and 
Isaac was employed by his step-father as a shepherd-boy. 



CXCIV. — 1. What of Queen Anne's reign ? 2. What of the early life of Newtor. ? 



GREAT MEN* OF QUEEN ANNE'S TIME.- 1702-1714. S71 

3. One day, while he was keeping the sheep, a gentleman passing 
by observed that he was deeply occupied in some book, and had the 
curiosity to ask him what it was. To his surprise he found that it 
was a work on practical geometry. This circumstance was mentioned 
to his mother's relations, who took him from his humble employment, 
and placed him at school at Grantham. His progress there was quite 
astonishing ; and he was noted for his strange inventions, and extraor- 
dinary inclination for mechanics. 

4. He had a little shop of tools, as little saws, hatchets, and ham- 
mers, with which he amused himself in making models in wood of 
various things. Whilst his companions were flying kites, he was 
occupied in investigating the best form which could be given to them, 
and the most advantageous place for tying the string. From school 
he was sent to the university of Cambridge ; of which, at a very early 
age, he became a professor. 

5. Newton made many discoveries, any one of which would be 
sufficient to bestow a lasting fame. The chief are the theory of col- 
ors, and the laws of gravitation, or that force by which the sun, moon, 
and planets are kept in their relative positions. To men of genius 
the most trifling incidents sometimes suggest matters of deep impor- 
tance. The plague broke out at Cambridge, and Newton was obliged 
to return home. 

6. As he was one day sitting in his garden, the falling of an apple 
from a tree led his thoughts to the subject of gravity, and considering 
that this power does not sensibly diminish at the points the most re- 
mote from the earth's centre, even at the tops of the highest moun- 
tains, he thought that it must extend much further. Why not to the 
moon 1 was his next question to himself. 

7. He pursued the inquiry thus suggested, until he discovered that 
the law which keeps the moon revolving about the earth, and the 
planets revolving about the sun, is the same with that which causes 
ai apple to fall to the ground, that is, draws it towards the centre of 
the earth. Newton's extreme modesty and gentleness of temper were 
more extraordinary than even his talents and acquirements. He lived 
to the age of 85 years, retaining to the close of his life the full use of 
his powers of mind. 

8. He was never guilty of any one excess, except it be excess of 
study. We are told that one day, when his favorite little dog, Dia- 
mond, destroyed a manuscript which he had bestowed much time in 
completing, all that he said was, " 0, Diamond, Diamond, thou little 
knowest the mischief thou hast done !" and then quietly set to work- 
to repair the mischief by days and nights of hard study. 

9. In his person this extraordinary man was of middling stature ; 
his countenance was pleasing, but did not display that deep sagacity 
which is everywhere perceptible in his writings. Contemporary with 
Newton was John Locke, a distinguished moral philosopher, who 
wrote Essays on the Human Understanding, and works on Education, 
Government, &c. At the request of his friend, Lord Shaftesbury, he 

5. What discoveries did he make'/ 6, 7. Relate the incident connected with that of 
the laws ol gravitation. 8. Relate the anecdote showing his mildness. 9. What of 



372 GEORGE I. — 1714. 

prepared a constitution for the colony of North Carolina, which that 
nobleman and others were about to establish. 

10. Queen Caroline, wife of George II., of whom you will pres- 
ently hear, was a great admirer of men of profound talent. Her pa- 
vilion at Richmond was adorned by the busts of Bacon, Newton, 
Locke, and Clarke. The last named, Dr. Samuel Clarke, was 
another of the truly great men who flourished in the time of Queen 
Anne. He is alike distinguished for his theological and philosophical 
works. 

11. But the men we have mentioned are not those usually intended 
by the phrase "the writers of Queen Anne's time," who rendered 
that period an epoch in the history of taste and literature. The chief 
of these were Pope and Addison, who, perhaps, did more towards the 
improvement of the general style of thinking and writing than any 
other authors have done. 

12. Pope stands next to Milton in the list of English poets. He 
was happier in one respect, for his merits were appreciated by his 
contemporaries, and produced to him a handsome fortune, which en 
abled him to entertain his friends at his villa at Twickenham. Ad 
dison, assisted by Steele and others, published the Spectator and 
Tatler. 

13. These were the first periodical papers which pretended to any 
literary merit, published in England. They were read with the 
greatest assiduity by all classes of persons, and were long referred to 
as models upon which to form a correct style of writing. Youthful 
readers are, perhaps, more familiar with the works of another great 
genius of this age, Dean Swift, the author of Gulliver's Travels. 

14. Perhaps they do not know that what seems to them merely a 
fabulous story about Liliputians, was a very severe satire, well un- 
derstood at the time. We should not be forgiven if we omitted to 
mention that great and good man, Dr. Isaac Watts, who may emphat- 
ically be called the benefactor of children. 

15. It is true he did not die till 1748, but he was then at the ad- 
vanced age of 75 years, so that he was in the maturity of his powers 
during Queen Anne's reign. His name is now most familiar to us 
as the author of many beautiful hymns, and a poetical version of the 
Psalms ; but he was also distinguished as a writer on philosophical 
subjects. 



CHAPTER CXCV. 

George I. — Rebellion in Scotland. — Fight of Sheriff- Muir. 

1. The arrangements of the whigs were entirely successful. The 
breath was hardly out of Anne's body, before proclamation was made 

Locke.? 10. What of Clarke ? 12. What of Pope'* Of Addison? Of Swift ? Of 
Watts ?- 



REBELLION IN SCOTLAND. — 1715. 373 

» 

of the Elector of Hanover as king, by the title of George I. He was 
met at his landing in England by many persons of high office and 
rank ; amongst others, by the Duke of Marlborough, whom he ever 
treated with great distinction. 

2. George, at his accession, was in the 55th year of his age. He 
was a man of plain, steady understanding, grave in his manners, and 
simple in his habits. He had an honest, sensible countenance, with- 
out anything very striking. A late nobleman tells us, that when he 
was a little boy he had a great desire to see the king ; and as his 
father held a high office, his wish was indulged, and he was allowed 
to go into a room where the king was at supper. 

3. He " there saw a short hale man, with an aspect rather good 
than dignified, having on a large wig, and dressed in a complete suit 
of snuif-colored clothes, with stockings to match ; and this man was 
George I." As the king could speak but little English, and his chief 
minister, Sir Robert Walpole, understood neither German nor French 
the intercourse between them was carried on in Latin. 

4. In all his notions and ways the king was too much of a Germai 
to be popular in England. He had married the Princess Sophia Doro- 
thea, of Zell, and either had, or supposed himself to have, so much 
reason to be displeased with her conduct, that he shut her up in the 
castle of Ahlden, not far from Hanover. 

5. In this gloomy building, on the banks cf the river Aller, she 
passed the lost forty years of her life. Her only son, George, when 
he grew to be a man, had a strong desire to see her ; but he tried in 
vain to accomplish it. One day he swam his horse across the Aller, 
made his way to the gates of the castle, and passed the outer moat, or 
ditch ; but when he got to the draw-bridge of the inner moat, the gov- 
ernor of the castle met him, and made him retire. 

C. George I. did not leave room for any doubt as to the political 
party which was to have his support. The whigs were received by 
him with the greatest courtesy and kindness, whilst the tories met 
with decided marks of disapprobation. If he had been content with 
this, it would have been better for his reputation and his quiet, but he 
suffered the whigs to persecute the tory leaders. Lord Oxford was 
committed to the Tower on a charge of treason. The Duke of Or- 
mond and Lord Bolingbroke fled to France to escape a similar fate, 
and their names were stricken from the list of English peers. 

7. These violent proceedings excited indignation, and the discon- 
tent at length broke out into open rebellion. The Earl of Mar, a 
Highland chieftain, assembled his vassals, and on the 6th of Sept., 
1715, proclaimed James Stuart to be king; about the same time the 
Earl of Derwentwater and Mr. Foster took up arms in the north of 
England, in the same cause. They were joined by Lords Kinmuir 
and Nithsdale, and other Scottish gentlemen. 

8. On the other side, the Duke of Argyle summoned his clansmen, 
the numerous and powerful Campbells, to take up arms for King 

CXCV. — What of the success of the whigs' arrangements ? 2. What of George ? 3 
How is he described by one who saw him 1 What of his knowledge of the English lan- 
guage? 4, 5. What of his wife? 6. What of his treatment of the political parties'' 

32 



374 OF THE RISING IN ENGLAND. — 1715. 

George. With these he met the Earl of Mar near Dumblain, at 
Sheriff- Muir. The earl's troops were at the first onset successful, 
and General Whetham, who commanded a division of Argyle's army, 
tied, full gallop, to Sterling, exclaiming that the king's army was 
completely defeated. 

9. In the mean time Argyle's own division had defeated the body of 
the rebels opposed to them, but on returning to the field, met the vic- 
torious insurgents. Neither party felt disposed to renew the contest, 
so they stood looking at each other for several hours, and at length 
drew off different ways, each party claiming the victory. One of the 
Jacobite songs, in allusion to this battle, begins thus : 

10. There 's some say that we won, 
Some say that they won, 
Some say that none won 
At a', man. 

But one thing I 'm sure, 
That at Sheriff-Muir 
A battle there was, 

Which I saw, man. 

And we ran, and they ran, 
And they ran, and we ran, 
And we ran, and they ran, 
Awa', man. 

11. The Duke of Argyle, however, had all the fruits of victory 
On Dec. 22d, the Pretender arrived in Scotland, attended by only six 
gentlemen. In the expectation that the whole country would rise in 
his cause, he fixed Jan. 16, 1716, for the day of his coronation at 
Scone, where his ancestors for many generations had been crowned 
Kings of Scotland. But before the appointed day arrived, he was so 
closely pursued by Argyle, that he was glad to abandon his enterprise, 
and get back to France. 



CHAPTER CXCVI. 

Of the Rising in England. — How Lord Nit hs dale effected his 
Escape from Prison. — The South-sea Scheme. — Death of 
George I. 

1. On the very day of the fight at Sheriff-Muir, Nov. 12, the Eng- 
lish Jacobites under Derwentwater and his companions had been com- 
pelled to surrender to the troops of King George. The prisoners were 
treated with the greatest cruelty. The leaders were sent to London, 
and were led through the streets to the various prisons, pinioned like 

7. What was the consequence of his violence against the tories? What of the rebel 
lion in Scotland? S 3 9, 10. What of the fight of Sheriff Muir? 11. What of the Pre 
tender ? 



ESCAPE OF LORD NITHSDALE FROM PRISON. -1715. 375 

common malefactors. Derwentwater, Kenmuir and Nithsdale were 
condemned to be beheaded, and the two former were executed. 

2. Many of the rest were hung, and more than 1000 were banished 
to America. Lord Nithsdale effected his escape in a manner which 
is worth relating. His lady was in Scotland when she heard of her 
husband's danger. She set off at once for London, and rode the 
greatest part of the way on horseback, and in so deep a snow, that it 
was frequently up to her saddle-girths. On her arrival, she persoi ally 
petitioned the king for her husband's life, but in vain. She, therefore, 
set herself to work to effect his escape from prison. 

3. Having permission to visit her lord, and to bring with her one 
friend at a time, to take leave of him before his death, she took a Mrs. 
Mills and another lady in a coach to the Tower, and left the former 
waiting in the carriage, while she and the other lady went into Lord 
Nithcdale's apartment. This lady, who was of a slender shape, had 
on two suits of clothes, and two riding-hoods. 

4. One of these suits she took off and left with Lord Nithsdale, and 
then went back to the carriage, where she waited while Mrs. Mills 
paid her visit. Mrs. Mills changed her dress for the one the other 
lady had left, and then returned to the coach. As Mrs. Mills was a 
large, stout woman, her clothes fitted Lord Nithsdale very well ; but 
as he was of a dark complexion, and she of a fair one, with yellow 
hair, some further contrivance was necessary before he could pass for 
her without remark. 

5. However, by the help of white and red paint, and painting 
his eyebrows yellow, and putting on a woman's wig of yellow hair, 
he was made a very tolerable copy of good Mrs. Mills. When his 
disguise was completed, his lady, who had assisted at his toilet, con- 
ducted him out of the room, and, in the hearing of the guards, called 
him Betty, and told him to run quickly and send her maid to her. 
The guards, suspecting nothing, opened the doors for the supposed 
Betty. 

6. Thus Lord Nithsdale got out of prison, and was conducted to a 
lodging that had been provided. In the mean time, Lady Nithsdale 
returned to the room that had been her lord's prison, and began to 
talk in a loud voice, and sometimes imitated his, to make the guards 
on the outside of the door believe they were conversing together. 
How she had the power to do this, w T e can hardly imagine, for her 
poor heart must have been beating all the time with fear lest her hus- 
band should be discovered in his disguise. 

7. After she had carried on the pretended conversation for some 
«ime, she left the prison, and hastened to the place of her lord's con- 
cealment. A miserable place it was, being a small room in a wretched 
house, full of all sorts of lodgers. In this apartment they remained 
three days ; and that it might not be known that it was inhabited, 
they sat perfectly still during the whole time, with nothing to eat but 
some bread and wine which Mrs. Mills, who came to them once or 
twice, brought in her pocket. 

8. At last this indefatigable friend, having prepared everything for 

CXCVI. — 1. What of the Earl of Derwentwater and his companions? 2. Relate the 



376 DEATH OF GEORGE L — 1727. 

his leaving the kingdom, released the prisoners, and took Lord Niths- 
dale to the house of the Venetian ambassador, who was about to serd 
his carriage to Dover. Nithsdale put on a suit of livery, as the uni- 
form dress usually worn by the servants of the rich is called, and so 
passed safely to Dover, and thence to Calais. The passage across 
the channel from Dover to Calais was so short, that the captain of the 
vessel observed, that the wind could not have served them better if 
his passengers had been flying for their lives. 

9. No further attempt was made by the Jacobites in England dur- 
ing the reign of George I. in favor of the pretender. Indeed, after he 
had been in Scotland, and his adherents had seen that he was not the 
high-minded hero they had enthusiastically fancied him to be, his 
cause visibly declined. He was, in fact, a man of very slender abili- 
ties, and of a mean, selfish character. 

10. Little else worthy of mention occurred during the reign of 
George I., if we except the South-Sea Scheme, as it was called. This 
was contrived by Sir John Blount, a speculating man, and the object 
was to enable an association of men, called the South-Sea Company, 
because it was originally formed to trade to the Pacific or South Seas, 
to buy up all the debt of Great Britain. This debt amounted to a 
very large sum, and the greater part was contracted by William, in 
carrying on his wars upon the continent. 

11. It was made to appear that the speculation would be enormously 
profitable to the company, and the whole nation, as if by a general 
impulse of avarice, became eager to engage in it. Multitudes advanced 
their whole fortunes, in the expectation of receiving a great return. 
But the bubble soon burst, and the whole was found to be a fraudulent 
scheme of a few unprincipled speculators. 

12. The king was much attached to Hanover, and made frequent 
visits thither. In 1727, he set out with the intention of going there 
once more. He had proceeded as far as Delden, a small town on the 
frontiers of Germany, when he was taken extremely ill. Instead of 
stopping, he pushed forward, in the hope of reaching the palace of his 
brother, who was Bishop of Osnaburg. But he did not live to get 
there. When the carriage stopped at the gate of the palace, he was 
found lying a corpse within. He died in the sixty-eighth year of his 
age, and thirteenth of his reign. 

FAMILY OF GEORGE I. 

WIFE. 
Sophia Dorothea, ofZell. 

CHILDREN. 

George Augustus, Prince of Wales. 

A daughter, married to Frederick William, King of Prussia. 

particulars of Nithsdale's escape. 9. Were any other attempts made in this reign to 
restore the Stuarts ? 10. What of the South Sea Scheme? 12. Relate the particulars 
of the king's death. What was the length of his life ? Of his reign ? 



' GEORGE II. — 1727. ,377 

CHAPTER CXCVII. 

George II — Queen Caroline. — War on the Continent. — 
Battle of Fontenoy. — Anson's Voyage round the World. 

1. George II. was in the forty-fifth year of his age, when, by the 
sudden death of his father, he became king, 1727. In his person he 
was below the middle height, well shaped and upright. His com- 
plexion was fair, his nose aquiline, and his eyes remarkably prominent. 
His abilities were inferior to those of his father, and his temper hasty. 
He was simple in his tastes and habits. His strongest feeling was' a 
preference for Hanover to England. 

2. His wife, Queen Caroline, united brilliant beauty to a strong 
understanding and great goodness of heart. We have already men- 
tioned her regard for men of science, and with such she delighted to 
converse. She died in 1737, and the king's grief for her loss was 
sincere and excessive, though during her life he had not always treated 
her with tenderness ; for which, her mischievous interference in poli- 
tics furnished some apology. 

3. George II., on his accession, found the country in a state of 
great tranquillity, and little occurred for many years to disturb it. 
The winter of 1740 was remarkable for the most severe frost that had 
ever been known in England. It began at Christmas, and lasted till 
the latter end of February. The Thames was so strongly frozen over, 
that tents and booths were raised upon it, and various sports were 
exhibited upon the ice for the diversion of the people. 

4. But these amusements could not divert the poor from the feeling 
of the privations they suffered from the continuance of the severe 
weather. The watermen and fishermen were thrown out of work, 
and fuel and provisions became so dear, that, if it had not been for the 
charity of the rich, many persons must have perished with cold and 
hunger. 

5. A contest arose about this time between Maria Theresa and the 
Elector of Bavaria,, for the throne of Germany. Nearly all the states 
of Europe became involved in the quarrel on one side or the other. 
The King of England espoused the cause of Maria Theresa, and, in 
1743, took the command of his troops on the continent in person. 
The only engagement in which he had a part, appears to have been 
in repelling an attack of the French upon his army, while posted at 
Dettingen. 

6. In this he displayed great personal courage, exposing himself 
to the fire of the musketry and cannon, riding along the line and 
encouraging the men to fight for the honor of England. This was 
the last occasion on which a king of England exposed his person in 
battle. Upon his departure, the command of the army devolved upon 
his son, the Duke of Cumberland, who, on the 30th of April, 1745, 
was defeated by the French at Fontenoy. 

CXCVII. —1. What of George II. ? 2. What of Queen Carolina ? 3 What of the 
state of the country? What of the winter of 1740? 5. In what war did he engage'' 
32* 



37S ANSON'S VOYAGE ROUND THE WORLD. — 1740— 1744. 

7. The English naval forces conducted themselves with theii 
usual gallantry during this war, but there is nothing worthy of special 
mention, except the expedition of Commodore Anson. On the 
18th of September, 1740, he sailed from England, with a small 
squadron, to act against the Spanish settlements in Chili and Peru, 
on the western side of South America. Touching at the island of 
Madeira, he proceeded thence to the Cape de Verd Islands ; thence 
sailing along the coast of Brazil, he stopped at the island of St. 
Catharine. 

8. At this delightful island, which lies in twenty-seven degrees 
south latitude, and which enjoys all the verdure and fruitfulness of 
that luxurious climate, he remained some time, for the purpose of 
recruiting the strength of his men. He then again set sail, coasting 
along the shores of Patagonia, and, in about five months from the 
time he left England, he entered the Straits of Magellan. His own 
ship, the Centurion, at last reached the island of Juan Fernandez, in 
the Pacific Ocean, after encountering the utmost perils from most 
horrible tempests, by which the rest of the fleet were dispersed or 
wrecked. 

9. Here he was joined by the Gloucester ship of war and two 
small vessels with stores. After repairing the ships, which were 
much shattered, and refreshing the men, a large number of whom 
were ill of the scurvy, a disease which the constant use of salted pro- 
visions is apt to bring upon seamen, he proceeded to execute the 
object of the expedition. He plundered and burnt the town of Paita, 
in Quito, and took several Spanish vessels. By this time he had lost 
so many of his men by sickness, that he was obliged to abandon all 
his vessels, except the Centurion. 

10. Although the survivors of all the crews had been taken on 
board this ship, yet the sickness made such ravages, and the ship 
itself was in such a disabled condition, that Anson found himself 
obliged to leave the enemy's coast. He then stretched across the 
Pacific Ocean, and reached with difficulty the beautiful little island 
of Tinian, one of the Ladrones, of which he gives a most delightful 
account, and where he says verdant fields, groves, cascades, and 
flowers, contributed to please the senses. 

11. What was of more consequence to them, they found in great 
abundance all that a sea-beaten company of mariners could desire ; 
clear and wholesome water, medicinal herbs, domestic animals, and 
the materials for refitting their vessel. When his men had recovered 
their health, Anson proceeded to Canton, where he obtained a rein- 
forcement of Dutch and Indian sailors. He then returned towards the 
coast of America, in the hope of intercepting a rich treasure-ship, 
which was known to sail annually from Acapulco, a port of Mexico, 
to Manilla, in the Philippine Isles. 

12. On the 9th of June, 1743, the ship they were in search of 
came in sight. She was much stronger than the Centurion, heavily 
armed, and having twice a§ many men. Still Anson did not hesitate 
to attack her, and, after a short engagement, she surrendered. He 

6. What of his conduct ? When and where was the English army defeated ? 7. Relate 



CHARLES EDWARD ARRIVES IN SCOTLAND. — 1745 J79 

then returned to England by the way of the Cape of Good Hope. 
He arrived at Spithead, June 14, 1744, having been absent nearly 
four years, and having sailed round the globe ; a frequent occurrence 
in our days, but which, in Anson's time, was thought to be no small 
achievement. 

13. The quantity of money he brought home was so great, that it 
required thirty-two wagons to convey it to London. This train of 
vehicles made quite a procession, and was accompanied with music 
playing and people shouting. A part of the stout ship Centurion is 
yet in existence. The huge red lion, that once was its head, now 
adorns a garden in Sussex. Anson received many public honors, and 
became quite an oracle in naval affairs. 



CHAPTER CXCVIII. 

The young Pretender lands in Scotland. — Is victorious at 
Prestonpans, and marches into England. — Is compelled *Q 
retreat. 

1. The possession of Hanover by the crown of Great Britain has 
been from the beginning a source of evil to the latter country ; sincr3 
it has involved her in all the quarrels between the states of the 
continent, of which her insular situation would otherwise have made 
her a mere spectator, or, perhaps, a mediator. The great bodies of 
troops, and immense sums of money, which were annually sent out 
of the kingdom, excited the discontent of the people. 

2. At length the contests in parliament became so violent, and the 
murmurs of the people so loud, that the friends of the pretender were 
induced to believe that his presence in England would produce a gen- 
eral rising of the people in his favor. James himself was of too 
sluggish a nature to engage personally in the contest ; he, therefore, 
deputed Charles Edward, his oldest son, to be his representative. 

3. In June, 1745, this prince embarked, with a few Scotch and 
Irish gentlemen, in a small frigate. His supply of arms was put on 
board a French ship, which was so much disabled in an engagement 
with an English vessel, that it was obliged to put back to France. 
The prince's vessel was more fortunate, and, on the 16th of July, he 
lauded at Borodale, and was joined by a considerable number of High- 
landers. 

4. A moment more - favorable for this enterprise could not have 
been chosen. The king was in Hanover ; the Duke of Cumberland, 
with the best part of the troops, was in Flanders ; and the ministers 

the particulars of Anson's voyage, till he reached Juan Fernandez. Till his arrival at 
Canton. The remainder of the voyage. 13. What of the remains of his ship? 

CXCVIII.— 1. What of the possesion of Hanover by England'.' 3. When did the 
young pretender embark for Great Britain ? Wha: af his voyage ? 4. What rendered 



380 BATTLE OF PRESTONPANS. — 1745. 

and parliament were divided, as usual, by vehement political disputes. 
But Charles could not make the most of these advantages, for want 
of the arms which were in the French ship, on board of which a con- 
siderable number of French officers had embarked, whose experience 
would have been of incalculable benefit to him. 

5. The news of his arrival threw all England into commotion. 
But the result was not such as the prince had expected ; instead of 
being joined by the opponents of the measures of the government, 
the political disputants forgot their animosities, and joined in the 
common cause against the Jacobites. The king soon returned, and 
messengers were instantly despatched, and a reward of $150,000 was 
offered to any one who would seize Charles Edward ; Charles, in 
retaliation, offered the same price for the head of the " Elector of 
Hanover." 

6. Meanwhile, the army of the prince was daily increasing in 
number, as he advanced into the country. On the 16th of September 
he took possession of the town of Edinburgh, but could not take the 
castle, which held out for King George. Sir John Cope, who com- 
manded that king's forces in Scotland, hastened to its relief, and on 
the 20th September, encamped at Prestonpans, about nine miles dis- 
tant. The next morning Charles advanced to meet him, and the half- 
armed Highlanders attacked the king's troops with so much fury, 
that the latter could not stand the assault, but fled with the utmost 
precipitation. 

7. By this victory the prince obtained what he wanted most of all, 
arms, ammunition, and a train of artillery. A considerable portion of 
Scotland was now in the possession of the Jacobites. The good con- 
duct of Prince Charles greatly increased the popularity of his cause. 
He showed himself both vigorous in action and prudent in council, 
and bore his success with moderation. The King of France, seeing 
that his affairs were prosperous, sent him a supply of arms and officers, 
and promised that a large body of French should be landed in the south 
of England. 

8. Relying on this promise, Charles passed the borders of Scotland, 
and advanced as far as Derby, which is within four days' march of 
London. Indescribable alarm and consternation prevailed in that city. 
Those who were in London fled into the country, while those in the 
country fled to London, every person thinking the place he was in the 
place of danger. The king acted with energy and decision, and pre- 
pared to take the field in person. 

9. But at the time when the alarm in London had risen to the 
utmost height, and the approach of the rebels was hourly expected, 
the threatening storm suddenly dispersed. The Scotch officers, 
hearing no tidings of the landing of their French allies, began to he 
afraid that they should be hemmed in by the English troops, which 
were collecting from all parts ; they, therefore, resolved to retreat 
homewards. 

10. This measure was much against the wishes of the prince, who 

the time favorable for his attempt? 5. What effect did his arrival produce? 6. What 
of his success ? In what battle was he victorious ? 8. What induced him to march into 



BATTLE OF FALKIRK. — 1746. 



381 



was for pushing on to London, before the consternation had subsided, 
or the preparations for its defence were complete. Reluctantly com- 
pelled to submit to the decision of the rest, Prince Charles, disap- 
pointed and spiritless, followed in the rear of the army. It is worthy 
of remark, that, during the six weeks which the Scotch troops had 
been in England, they committed no kind of outrage or robbery, 
although they had often suffered greatly from hunger. 



CHAPTER CXCIX. 

The Pretender is victorious at Falkirk, but is defeated at Cul- 
loden. — Horrible Cruelties practised by the Victors. — Ro- 
mantic Adventures of Prince Charles Edward. 




Battle of Culloden. 

1. Charles soon recovered his spirit when the opportunity for 
active operations offered itself. On January 13, 1746, he obtained a 
victory at Falkirk, over a part of the English army. Meanwhile, the 
Duke of Cumberland, who had returned from the continent, had 
taken the command of the king's forces, and now advanced to Nairn, 
which is nine miles distant from Culloden, where the prince was 
posted. 

2. Charles, hearing of the approach of the English army, set out 
on the night of the 15th of April, with the design of surprising the 
enemy. He began his march in two columns ; but his men, having 

England? What ot the effect of his progress ? 9. Why did he retreat ? 10. What of 
iW prince ? W'nai of the conduct of the Scotch troops ') 
CXCIX. — 1. In what battle was the prince victorious? In what was he defeated? 



CRUELTIES PRACTISED BY THE VICTORS. 

been under arms all the night before, were many of them overpowered 
by sleep and weariness. Many fell down from fatigue, and were 
unable to proceed. It now became absolutely necessary to abandon 
the intended attack, and to retreat. 

3. When they got back to Culloden, the poor wearied soldiers lay 
down on the bare heath and slept ; but they were soon roused from 
their repose by some of their companions, who had lain down by the 
way during the retreat, and who, having been awakened by the noise 
of the English army, which was advancing, had hastened to inform 
the prince of its approach. The king's troops came in sight about 
noon, and, in less than half an hour from the first firing, the army of 
Charles was totally defeated. 

4. The dreadful cruelties practised upon the vanquished, by the 
orders of the Duke of Cumberland, made his name to be execrated 
throughout Scotland, and have fixed an indelible stain upon his 
memory. It is said that, in a district of nearly fifty miles round 
Lochiel, there was, in the course of a few days, neither house nor 
cottage, neither men nor beasts to be seen — so complete was the 
ruin, silence and desolation. 

5. The jails of England were now filled with prisoners. Many 
were executed, and many w r ere transported to America. Lords Bal- 
merino, Kilmarnock, and Lovat, and Mr. Radcli.ffe, who were the 
principal persons concerned, were carried to London and executed. 
They were the last persons who suffered the punishment of beheading 
in England. Mr. Radcliife was a brother of that Li-rd Derwentwater, 
who was out in 1716, as the Jacobites expressed the being concerned 
in open hostilities to the king. 

6. We must now return to the young prince, a »d give an account 
of his escape. He remained upon the field at Culloden as long 
as any hope remained of retrieving the battle, and then rode off, at 
tended by a few friends. The safety of all require J that these should 
part company, and conceal themselves as they beM could from the 
soldiers, who scattered themselves over the counti v in pursuit of 
Charles, with an eagerness much increased by the enormous reward 
offered for his capture. 

7. During the next five months the prince wandered among the 
Highlands, owing his preservation to the fidelity of %ve poor inhab- 
itants, who concealed him in their huts and caves, at rht risk of their 
own lives. There is an interesting account of a young lady who con- 
trived to assist him. Charles was desirous to go from J»e Isle of 
Lewis, where he had been some time concealed, to the Isle of Skye ; 
but it was difficult to get there, on account of the troops who were 
yet on the watch for him. Miss Flora Macdonald offered to conduct 
him, if he would put on woman's clothes and pass for her maid. 

8. The prince readily agreed, and assumed the name and dress 
of Betty Bourke, an Irish girl. He embarked with Flora in an open 
boat, and they landed safely at Skye. After they reached this place, 
they had some distance to walk ; and the prince, who was very tall, 

Relate the particulars of that of Culloden. 4. What of the conduct of the victors? 6. 
7, S. Relate the^adveniures of the prince from the battle of Culloden till his arrival a: 



ADVENTURES OF PRINCE CHARLES EDWARD. 



3S3 



and looked excessively awkward in woman's clothes, dre^ the atten- 
tion of everv one who passed, and was every moment in danger of 
being discovered. At last they arrived at Kingsborough, a house 
belonging to one of the clan of Macdonalds. 




Escape of the Pretender. 

9. Here the prince enjoyed the luxury of lying on a bed, a pleasure 
which he had not experienced for many weeks ; and he slept so 
soundly that he did not awake till the middle of the following day. 
They then proceeded to Portree ; but before they reached that place 
the prince changed his dress, and, putting on a Highland plaid and 
a Scotch bonnet over his wig, was metamorphosed from Betty Bourke 
into a stout Highlander. Here he parted with his female guide, and 
was conducted by Malcolm Macloud to his home at Rasay. 

10. He was there concealed in a small hut, with a bed of dry 
heather to lie on ; and it was with difficulty that provisions were 
procured for him. Even this wretehed place was not. one of safety, 
so they returned to Skye, and, landing at Strath, took shelter in a 
cow-house. After remaining at Skye for a short time, they passed 
over to the main land. During the time Charles was with Macloud, 
he passed for a servant of that gentleman, and the better to disguise 
himself he tied a handkerchief over his head, put a nightcap over 
that, and tore the ruffles of his shirt, to make his appearance more 
shabby. 

11. He was afterwards concealed for nearly six weeks in a cave 
where seven Highlanders had previously taken refuge. While he 
was there he lived on the venison which these men contrived to kill 
by night. Being at length obliged to quit this concealment, he and 
his new associates made their escape into the mountains by walking 



Kingsborough. '.). Till he left Skye. 11. Till he leaves Scotland 13. What of hia 



384 STYLE OF DRESS IN GEORGE II. 'S TIME. — 1727— 1760. 

along the rocky channel of a torrent. In the course of their journey 
Charles became so exhausted for want of food, and fatigue, that he 
could walk no further ; and two of the men carried him over the 
rugged paths to a place where their friends had provided food for 
them. 

12. On the 29th of August the prince reached a place of conceal- 
ment which had been prepared by him, and which was called the 
Cage, a habitation formed in the hollow of a small cluster of bushes, 
which grew out of a high rock. The floor was composed of trunks 
of trees, and was made level by having earth spread on it. The 
trees which grew at the sides were interwoven with ropes, made of 
heath, and the top was thatched with long grass. 

13. This singular dwelling was large enough to contain seven 
persons, and here the prince, with Cameron of Lochiel, stayed till 
September 13th, when he received information that two French ships 
had arrived off the coast. He got on board one of them, but his 
dangers were not yet over, for British ships guarded all the neigh- 
boring seas. Under shelter of a dense fog he passed through the 
midst of the enemy's squadron, and on the 29th of September, 1746, 
landed safely in France. 

14. He was so worn out by the fatigues and hardships he had 
undergone, that he was scarcely to be known as the same handsome 
and sprightly youth, who had left France, full of animation and hope, 
the year before. By the terms of a general peace, made at Aix-la- 
Chapelle, in 1748, Louis withdrew his protection from the Stuart 
family, who retired to Rome. The young pretender long kept up a 
secret correspondence with the Jacobites in England, and once, if 
not oftener, he came privately to London. 

15. As he advanced in years, his character underwent a great 
change for the worse, and his friends abandoned his cause in disgust. 
He took the name of Count d 'Albany, and died in 1784, leaving no 
children. His brother, Cardinal York, who then became the sole 
representative of the royal house of Stuart, died at a very advanced 
age, in 1807, and with him the family became extinct. 



CHAPTER CC. 



The Style of Br ess in George II.' s Time. — Of the Farmer's 
Festival. — Old Style and New Style. — New-year's Bay 
changed. 

1. In noticing the changes of dress, we may remark that the long 
flowing wigs of the preceding age had now given place to a snug 
kind of tie-wig ; but in other respects the style of dress had by no 

voyage to France? 14. What of his appearance? 15. Relate the remaining particulars 
about the Stuart family. 



CUSTOMS AMONG THE COUNTRY PEOPLE. 385 

means improved. Ladies wore very long waists, and laced so tight 
that they suffered great pain from their endeavors to acquire what 
they esteemed a fine shape. 

2. They also wore such enormous hoops, that they could not, 
without difficulty, go through a moderately wide doorway ; and their 
heads and shoulders looked as if they were rising out of a tub. The 
gown was commonly of rich silk, ornamented with a variety of trim 
mings. The head was dressed exceedingly high, and the hair drawn 
tight off the face. At the elbows hung long ruffles, something like 
the ears of a poodle dog, which were often catching fire at the candles, 
or dipping in the dishes at table. 

3. It may be well to give a particular description of the dress of 
a lady of fashion in the early part of the last century. In the first 
place, she had on a black silk petticoat, trimmed with a red and white 
calico border, and a cherry-colored bodice, trimmed with blue and 
silver. She wore, in addition, a yellow satin apron, and a train of 
dove-colored silk, brocaded with large trees. The ladies appear to 
have been as stiff and formal in their intercourse with one another, as 
in their style of dress. 

4. As for the gentlemen, those at least who lived in towns, they 
generally spent their evenings at clubs and coffee-houses ; and drinking 
was so much the custom amongst them, that they rarely met without 
becoming intoxicated. A foreigner, who visited London about the 
end of the reign of George I., has given us the following account of 
his way of spending his time there : " We rise by nine, and either 
attend great men's levees, or tea-tables, till about eleven or twelve, 
the fashionable folks assemble in several chocolate and coffee houses. 

5. " We are carried to these places in sedan chairs. If it be fine, 
we take a turn in the park till two, when we go to dinner with a party 
at the tavern, where we sit till six. and then go to the play. After 
the play the best company commonly go to Tom's or Will's coffee- 
houses, and spend the time till midnight in conversation, cards or 
politics ; but party runs so high here that whigs and tories have each 
their coffee-houses, and would not, on any account, be seen at any 
other. If you like the company of the ladies, there are assemblies at 
most houses of people of quality." 

6. Among the country people a variety of pleasant customs pre- 
vailed a century ago, which have now almost disappeared. Among 
the happiest was the festival of harvest-home. This merry-making 
was common throughout England, but different ceremonies were 
observed in different places, though everywhere they ended with a 
good feast at the house of the proprietor of the land, to which all the 
neighbors, as well as the laborers on the farm, were heartily wel- 
comed. In England the farms are generally large, and a great many 
laborers, both male and female, are employed upon them. 

7. In some places, the last handful of grain reaped in the field 
was called the maiden. It was contrived that this should fall into the 

CC. — 1. What change in head-dress? What of the dress of ladies? 3. Give a de 
scription of a lady's dress at the heeinning of the last century. 4. 5. What <>f th^ 
manners of the gentlemen ? 6. What festival was ohserved hy the farmers 3 10. What 

25 



386 "OLD STYLE 35 AND "NEW STYLE." 

hands of one of the most comely lasses in the field, who became the 
queen of the coming feast. The maiden, gayly decorated with ribbons, 
was placed on the top of the last load of grain which left the field, the 
wagon itself being gaj^y decked with flowers and ribbons, and was 
thus borne home in triumph, with music and shouting. 
8 There, to use the language of an old poet, 

"For your mirth, 

You shall see, first, the large and chief 
Foundation of your feast, fat beef: 
With upper stories, mutton, veal, 
And bacon, which makes full the meal, 
With several dishes standing by, 
And here a custard, there a pie, 
And here all-tempting furmety." 

9. Dancing and various mirthful games succeeded, in which the 
good man of the house and his wife took part. At the close of the 
festivities, the maiden is hung up in some conspicuous part of the 
farm-house, where it remains till the next year, and it would be 
esteemed a very unlucky omen if any accident should. happen to it. 

10. The young reader may have been puzzled with the words 
"old style" and "new style," affixed to dates; it may be well, 
therefore, to explain their meaning. Julius Caesar, the Roman gen- 
eral, caused some calculations to be made to determine the length of 
the year. These calculations made it three hundred and sixty-five 
days and six hours. But the increased knowledge of astronomy has 
enabled the modern scientific men to ascertain that this reckoning was 
eleven minutes too much. 

11. In the lapse of time, these eleven minutes accumulated to 
eleven days. In the year 1572, Pope Gregory XIII. corrected this 
error, and reduced the year to its exact length. The reader will 
learn elsewhere how he guarded against a recurrence of the error. 
The pope made use of his power to secure the adoption of the new oi 
Gregorian style, in all the Catholic countries of Europe, but England, 
Sweden, and Russia still retained the old, or Julian style. 

12. The English merchants found it a great inconvenience to use 
a different mode of computing time from their foreign correspon- 
dents, and the hatred of the pope, which had led to the retention of 
this error for so long a time after it was pointed out, having in a 
great degree subsided, in 1752, the British parliament ordered the 
new style to be adopted in England. The eleven days were taken 
out of September ; the day after the 2d of September being called the 
14th, instead of the 3d. The year, also, which, till that time, had 
been reckoned to begin at the 25th of March, has since been computed 
from the 1st of January. 

is the old style and new style ? 12. When was the New Style adopted in England 
How was the change effected ? What other change was made '/ 



THE SEVEN YEARS' WAR. — 1755. 3S? 



CHAPTER CCI. 

The Seven Years' 1 War. — General Washington gains his first 
Laurels. — Capture of Quebec, and Death of General Wolfe. 
— Lord Clive extends the British Empire i?i India. — Death 
of George II. — About Sir Robert Walpole. 

1. The peace which had been made at Aix-la-Chapelle in 1748, 
continued till 1755, when the encroachment of the French upon what 
were then British colonies, and are now the United States, led to a 
war, which entirely involved all Europe, and is often called the Seven 
Years' 1 War. It was in this that General Washington first distin- 
guished himself, though then very youeg, by his prudent conduct in 
an expedition sent out to act against the French, who were endeavor- 
ing to connect their settlements in Canada and Louisiana by a chain 
of forts in the rear of the English colonies. 

2. The operations of the war were at first very unfavorable to the 
English. The ministry were divided in opinion, and very inefficient. 
The man of all others most competent to conduct the affairs of the na- 
tion was William Pitt ; but his political principles were too liberal to 
suit the king, and it was not till the will of the people was too loudly 
expressed to be any longer disregarded, that George consented to com- 
mit the reins of government to his hands. 

3. A decisive change now took place in the fortunes of the war ; 
Canada was entirely subdued, and the French power annihilated in 
that part of the American continent. This was not effected, how- 
ever, without the loss of one of the most popular and distinguished 
commanders whom the English ever had to boast of; namely, Gen- 
eral Wolfe, who was killed in the moment of victory at the siege of 
Quebec, in 1759. 

4. Upon the continent of Europe, the war was carried on by Eng- 
land with only Frederick, King of Prussia, commonly called Frederick 
the Great, for its ally, against all the other powers combined. But 
the sagacity and military skill of Frederick, and the energy of Mr. 
Pitt, enabled her to sustain with success the apparently unequal con- 
test. Hanover, which, in the beginning of the war, had been conquered 
by the French, was recovered, and the King of Prussia established its 
position as one of the first-rate powers of Europe. The principal bat- 
tle was that of Minden, fought August 1st, 1759, in which the English 
and Prussians defeated the French. 

5. In the East, Lord Clive, who had rapidly risen, by the force of 
his own abilities, from the humble situation of clerk to that of com- 
mander-in-chief of the forces, laid the foundations of the British empire 
in India. Upon the ocean the British flag was completely triumphant. 



H88 DEATH OF GEORGE II. -1760. 

la the midst of these successes, the king, without any previous com- 
plaint, was suddenly seized with the agonies of death. He had hith- 
erto enjoyed a degree of health and bodily vigor very unusual at his 
advanced age, and which seemed to give the promise of a much longer 
life. 

6. On the 25th of October, 1760. he rose at his usual hour, and 
observed to his attendants, that, as the morning was fine, he would 
walk in the garden. He was still at the window observing the weath- 
er, when he fell to the ground, and almost immediately expired. He 
was in the sevsnty-seventh year of his age, and the thirty-fourth of his 
reign. During the whole time he was upon the throne, political con- 
tests were carried on with great animosity. The most distinguished 
political leaders were Sir Robert Walpole, Sir William Windham, 
Mr. Pelham, Sir William Pulteney, and Mr. Pitt 

7. Sir Robert Walpole was the prime minister during the first half 
of this reign. He made use of very disreputable means to keep him- 
self in office. Since the revolution of 1688, England has been essen- 
tially a free government, and no man can sustain himself in office as 
minister, unless his measures are approved by a majority of the votes 
of the house of commons, who are in theory the representatives of the 
people of England. 

8. To secure to himself this majority, Walpole made a most liberal 
distribution of money and offices, a mode of retaining power which 
cannot forever be successful, since all who are venal will oppose for 
the very purpose of being bought over : and to the minister's means 
there must be a limit. And so Sir Robert found, for. in 1742, he was 
forced to resign. He was, however, made Earl of Orford. 

9. One great cause of the popular discontent against Walpole, was 
his taking the king's part in a quarrel between his majesty and his son 
Frederick, Prince of Wales. We do not know the original cause of 
this quarrel, but it was conducted with such animosity on the king's 
part, as to excite the sympathy of the people, with whom the prince 
was very popular, on account of his estimable qualities. He did not 
live tojbe king, but died in 1751, leaving many children. 

FAMILY OF GEORGE II. 

WIFE. 

Caroline, of Anspach. 

CHILDREN. 

Frederick, Prince of Wales, died in l?5t. 

William, Duke of Cumberland, died in 1765. 

Anne, married the Prince of Orange. 

Amelia, died in 1786. 

Caroline, died in 1757. 

Mary, married the Prince of Hesse Cassel. 

Louisa, married the King of Denmark. 

6. When did George II. die? What was his age? How long had he reigned? Who 
were the chief political leaders in his reign? 7. What of Sir Robert Walpole? 9. What 
ot Frederick, Prince of Wales? 



GEORGE III. — 1760. 389 



rAMILY OF FREDERICK, PRINCE OF WALES. 
WIFE. 

Princess of Saxe-Gotha. 
" CHILDREN. 

George, who succeeded his grandfather. 
Edward, Duke of York, died in 1767. 
William Henry, Duke of Gloucester. 
Henry Frederick, Duke of Cumberland. 
Frederick William, died younsf. 
Augusta, married tlie Duke of Brunswick. 
Caroline, died in 1759. 
Louisa, died in 176S. 
Matilda, married the King of Denmark. 



CHAPTER CCII. 

George III. — The Quiet of the Country disturbed by Political 
Contests. — John Wilkes. — Passage of the Stamp Act re- 
sults in the Independence of the United States. 

1. George, son of Frederick, Prince of Wales, had completed his 
twenty-second year, when the death of his grandfather placed him on 
the throne. He was tall, his features well formed, his complexion 
fair, and his countenance open and cheerful, with a great expression 
of goodness. As his parents had been on ill terms with George II., 
the young prince had been in a manner excluded from court, and not 
interfering in any of the political parties of the day, he had led a re- 
tired life, associating with a small, but select circle. 

2. This was, in some respects, a disadvantage to him, as it gave 
him an awkward and diffident manner, which an earlier introduction 
to general society might have remedied. His usual way of speaking- 
was hurried and confused ; but when called upon to speak in public, 
it was quite graceful, for his father, though he neglected other parts 
of his education, had caused him to be well instructed in the art of 
declamation, by Quin, a celebrated actor. The king/ ? s first speech 
being much applauded for grace and distinctness of utterance, Quin N 
exclaimed, with great glee, " I taught the boy." 

3. The chief characteristic of his mind was obstinacy ; and the per- 
tinacity with which he maintained his opinions was the occasion of 
much injury to his country. He had no great or brilliant qualities; 
but he had many good ones. He was kind and charitable ; his greatest 
happiness was in the tranquillity of domestic life ; and he was anxious 
to fulfil his duties to his family with fidelity. 

4. He was a truly religious man, and there are many anecdotes re- 
sted of him illustrative of this. In some cases his conduct might be 

CCIT. — 1. Whnt of George III. 's person? What of his education ? What of his style 
of speaking? 3. What of his character? 4. What anecdote of his religious feeling) 

33* 



390 THE PEACE OF PARIS. — 1763. 

imputed to affectation, were it not that we know nis humility to have 
been genuine. Soon after he came to the throne, a clergyman intro- 
duced some high panegyrics upon him, in a sermon preached in his 
presence. The next day, the king sent a message to the preacher, 
desiring him to forbear doing so for the future ; adding that he went 
to church to hear God praised, and not himself. 

5. In the prayer-book which he was accustomed to use in private, 
he scratched out the words " sovereign lord," before his own name, 
and wrote instead, " thy servant," and in another place he put the 
word " sinner." The number of marked passages in his Bible showed 
that he was a diligent student of it. lie married, August 7, 1761, 
Charlotte, Princess of Mecklenburg Strelitz. The last service which 
the veteran admiral, Lord Anson, performed, was that of bringing the 
new queen to England. 

6. The accession of George III. caused no alteration in public 
affairs ; the war was continued with vigor, though the nation had be- 
come weary of the great expense of carrying it on. It would be im- 
possible for us to give an account of all the events of this busy period, 
or even to select the most important. It must suffice for us now to 
say, that the British arms were everywhere successful. Several val- 
uable West India islands were taken from France ; and the rich town 
of Havana in Cuba, and the Philippine Isles in the East Indies, were 
taken from Spain. 

7. France and Spain at length became desirous of peace, which 
was concluded at Paris, February 10th, 1763. By this treaty, Can- 
ada was definitely ceded to Great Britain, but in most other respects 
the countries were restored, as to territory, to the condition they 
were in before the war. So far, nothing could be more prosperous 
than the new reign. The country was manifestly increasing in 
wealth and power. But the internal peace of the empire was soon 
disturbed. 

8. This was occasioned in no small degree by the obstinacy of the 
king in maintaining his own views, and in supporting those ministers 
who agreed with him in opinion. Though averse to the pomp of roy- 
alty, he was fond of the power, and could not bear any attack upon 
the dignity or prerogatives of the crown. The first open expression 
of public discontent was in behalf of John Wilkes, who was a man of 
considerable ability, but of profligate character. 

9. Soon after the accession of George III. to the throne, Mr. Pitt 
had retired from office, receiving, as a reward for his services, the 
title of Earl of Chatham. The new ministers were taken from the 
tory party. The names of whig and tory were still retained, though 
some change had taken place in the principles of the parties. The 
tories were for maintaining everything as it was ; whilst the whigs 
were for making such alterations in the constitution of the country, as 
advancing civilization, and the increase of wealth, especially among 
the mercantile and manufacturing classes, from time to time made 
necessary. 

5. Whom did he marry? 6. What of the war with France and Spain? 7. When and 
where was peace concluded? 8. What disturbed the 'internal quiet of the kingdom? 



PASSAGE OF THE STAMP ACT. -1765. 39 i 

10. There were many violent political writers on both sides : but 
none so much so as Mr. Wilkes, who was a whig and a member of 
parliament. He published a periodical paper, called the North 
Briton ; and, in the forty-fifth number, made a very violent attack 
upon Lord Bute and other persons, supposed to have an undue influ- 
ence with the king-, and upon the government in general. Wilkes 
was arrested by order of the government, and committed to the 
Tower. But being brought before one of the courts of law by a writ 
of habeas corpus, he was discharged, upon the ground that his arrest 
was illegal. 

11. His arrest had produced a great excitement ; it was considered 
as a violation of the freedom of the press ; he was looked upon as a 
martyr to liberty ; and the cry of " Wilkes and liberty!" was long 
the watchword of the popular party. Whilst affairs were quite in a 
disturbed state at home, an act of the ministry threw the North Amer- 
ican colonies into a state of convulsion. The taxes levied for the sup- 
port of the wars bore very heavily upon the people of Great Britain ; 
and to ease them of the burden, it was resolved to levy taxes upon the 
colonies. 

12. The act for this purpose, which levied a duty upon stamped 
paper, and forbade the importation of any other into the colonies, was 
passed by parliament. The events which followed the passage of the 
Stamp Act, and which led at last to the independence of thirteen of the 
North American colonies, forming a part of the history of our own 
country, are doubtless familiar to our readers, and need not be detailed 
here. 



CHAPTER CCIII. 

What the English People thought of the War with America. — 
Death of the Earl of Chatham. — Great Mobs in London. — 
Instance of British Generosity at the Siege of Gibraltar. 
— Peace of Versailles. — John Adams' first Interview with 
the King. 

1. The English people were very much divided in opinion as to the 
justice and expediency of taxing the American colonies. A consid- 
erable portion were decidedly opposed to it. At the head of the oppo- 
nents was the eloquent Earl of Chatham, who defended the ground 
taken by the colonists, that as they were not represented in the British 
parliament, they could not be justly taxed by that body. 

2. But when the war was actually commenced, Chatham was in 
favor of maintaining it with vigor, and of sending at once to the col- 

9. What of the parties of whi? and tory ? 10. How did Wilkes give offence? 11. 
What followed his arrest? What measure did the government adopt to raise money? 
What was the consequence of the Stamp Act? 
CCIII. — 1. What were the opinions of the English people about taxing America? 



392 SURRENDER OF CORNWALLIS.- 1781. 

onies a force large enough to put down the so-called rebels. But the 
ministry, who underrated the strength of the colonists, thought that 
a small body of regular, well-disciplined troops, under experienced 
and veteran officers, would be quite sufficient to cope with a raw mili- 
tia, commanded by men who knew nothing of war from actual expe- 
rience. 

3. The surrender of the British general, Burgoyne, and his army, 
in 1777, produced a great excitement in England. Some persons 
then were for abandoning the attempt to reduce the colonies to obe- 
dience, and this opinion gained strength when it was found that a 
continuance of the contest would involve England in a war with 
France, whose government had now openly assumed the part of the 
colonists. But the king would not consent to relinquish so large a 
part of his dominions, so long as any hope remained of being able to 
retain it. 

4. In this he was sustained by the Earl of Chatham, who, on the 
2d of April, 1778, appeared in the house of lords to oppose a motion 
for the withdrawal of the troops from America. Though he was suf- 
fering from severe illness, and unable to walk without assistance, he 
made one of the most animated and eloquent speeches that had ever 
been heard in that house. Venerable for his years and experience, 
and regarded as the first statesman of the age, his urgent appeal to his 
countrymen to make one more effort, made a deep impression on all 
present. 

5. He was answered by the Duke of Richmond, and Chatham rose 
again, with a countenance animated with disdain, and eager to reply ; 
but the excitement was too great for his feeble frame, and while he 
was attempting to speak, he sank down on the floor, and was carried 
out of the house apparently lifeless. He revived, but it was only to 
linger out a few weeks longer. His death, under these circumstances, 
made a great impression throughout the whole country. He was 
honored with a sumptuous funeral at the public expense, and every 
possible respect was shown to his memory. 

6. In the month of June, 1780, London was thrown into consterna- 
tion by the violence of a mob, which had taken an alarm in respect to 
Popery. This mob, which was excited chiefly by Lord George Gor- 
don, a gloomy fanatic, had the control of the city for several days, 
during which they burnt several Roman Catholic chapels, and de- 
stroyed many private dwellings. The greatest loss which the public 
sustained, was by the destruction of the manuscripts of the Earl of 
Mansfield, the most distinguished lawyer of his time ; he had made 
himself obnoxious by the part which he had taken, as a judge, in sus- 
taining prosecutions for libels against the government. 

7. In the month of October, 1781, Lord Cornwallis, one of Brit- 
ain's ablest generals, surrendered himself and his whole army to Gen- 
eral Washington. From this time, it was apparent to every one that 
the subjugation of the American colonies could not be any longer ex- 
pected. Spain and Holland had become the active allies of the United 

What of the Earl of Chatham? 2. How was the war conducted by the ministry ? 4. 5. 
Relate the particulars of Chatham's last appearance in parliament. 6. What of the mobs 



INDEPENDENCE OF THE U. S. ACKNOWLEDGED. —1733. 393 

States. Russia, Sweden, and Denmark, were united in what was 
called an armed neutrality, and were indirectly assisting the enemies 
of England. 




Eiots in London. 



S. The British fleets, under Lord Rodney, kept the supreme. v :*t 
Jhe seas ; and the defence of Gibraltar showed that the British tustpt* 
had lost none of their courage. In the course of this defence, there, 
was an exhibition of that humanity for which the English have always 
been distinguished. For two years the place had been blockaded by 
combined fleets of France and Spain, when, on the 13th of September, 
1782, a grand attack was made by land and sea. The garrison under 
General Elliot consisted of seven thousand men, whilst the assailing 
force amounted to forty thousand. 

9. The firing on both sides was continued furiously through the 
day ; but the garrison perceived, as night approached, that the enemy's 
cannonading abated, and could see that the whole fleet was in com- 
motion, and that some of the ships had taken fire. The darkness of 
the night was soon dispelled by the flames arising from the burning 
vessels ; and the cries and groans of the Spaniards on board of them 
were dreadful beyond description. 

10. Amidst this scene of horror, General Curtis and Sir Charles 
Knowles, assisted by a body of marines, ventured to the rescue of 
these miserable men, whom they now no longer considered as enemies, 
but as suffering fellow-creatui'es ; and they succeeded, though with 
imminent hazard to themselves, in saving many of them from the 
dangers by which they were surrounded. A few days after this 
attack, Lord Howe arrived with a fleet to the relief of the place. 

11. In 1783, peace was concluded between all the belligerent 
powers. England acknowledged the independence of the United 

in 1780? 7. What was the "armed neutrality?" 8. 9, 10. What of the siege o r Gib-al- 
tar ? 11. When was peace made 1 What of the king's interview with John A&'ons l 



394 DISTINGUISHED WRITERS AND POETS OF THE TIME. 

States, and gave up to France and Spain various lands and possessions 
in different parts of the globe. The United States, after the ratifica- 
tion of the treaty, sent John Adams, who, next to Washington, had 
acted the most prominent part in the revolution, as envoy to the 
British court. 

12. The king looked forward with considerable anxiety to his first 
interview with this distinguished rebel, and declared to some of his 
attendants that he viewed it as one of the most critical moments of 
his life. He received the envoy, however, most graciously, and said 
to him, " I was the last man in the kingdom, sir, to consent to the 
independence of America ; but now it is granted, I shall be the last 
man in the kingdom to sanction a violation of it." 



CHAPTER CCIV. 

The Writers of the Reign of George II. , and the early par* 
of that of George III. — The most distinguished Poets. — 
Dr. Johnson. — A neio form of Novel and Romance intro- 
duced. — Magazines and Reviews make their first appear- 
ance. 

1. As we are now approaching a new era in English literature, we 
must say something of the epoch which is drawing to a close. During 
nu period had England produced so many men of letters as during the 
fifty years comprised in the reign of George II., and part of that of 
his successor ; yet it exhibited very little of originality or vigor. The 
great reputation of Pope and his contemporaries overawed the poets 
of the next half century, who wrote in servile imitation of those whose 
works had already the sanction of public applause. 

2. Something, doubtless, is to be attributed to the state of society, 
which, during the same period, was dainty, formal, and pedantic ; a 
very natural transition from the ease and licentiousness which pre- 
vailed in the reign of Charles II. The collected editions of the British 
poets contain the works of upwards of seventy persons who wrote 
during the period of which we are now speaking. But very few of 
these are worthy of notice. 

3. The first, in point of time, is Edward Young, who died in 1765. 
His best work is the Night Thoughts, a serious poem, containing 
many passages of sublime expression, and of striking imagery, as well 
as much bombast and affectation. The most popular poet of this 
period was James Thomson, who died in 1748. He was by birth a 
Scotchman, but removed to London at an early age, where he pub- 
lished a series of poems, called the Seasons, describing, in blank verse, 
the various appearances of the year, in a very rich and eloquent, and 
often sublime style of language. 

CCIV. — 1. What ofliterature during the reign of George IT. and the succeedinff years t 
3. What of Young? What of Thomson? 6. What of Gray and Collins ? What of 



DISTINGUISHED WRITERS AND POETS OF THE TIME. o95 

4. Thomson's father was a clergyman, with a small salary ai.ri a 
large family, so that he could furnish his son with but a stinted outfit. 
The poet took with him, however, letters of recommendation to 
several persons of consequence, which he tied up carefully in his 
handkerchief ; but as he passed along the streets of London, with the 
gaping curiosity of a country lad, his attention was upon everything 
rather than his pocket, and his magazine of credentials was stolen 
from him. 

5. For the supply of his necessities, his whole fund was his poem 
of Winter, and he was sadly in want of a pair of shoes. After a 
long time he succeeded in finding a purchaser for his treasure, but 
at a very low price ; and the purchaser for some time thought he had 
made foolish bargain ; but the merits of the poem becoming known 
by accident, the sale became rapid, and Thomson's reputation was 
established. 

6. Gray, who died in 1771, and Collins, who died in 1756, are 
distinguished for writing lyrical poems, which originally meant poems 
intended to be sung accompanied by the harp. The most celebrated 
piece of the former is the Elegy in a Country Church-Yard, and 
of the latter, the Ode to the Passions. Mark Akens'de, who died 
in 1770, at the age of twenty-three years, published a poi m called the 
Pleasures of the Imagination, a work full of fine imagery, expressed 
in rich, copious, and musical language. 

7. Oliver Goldsmith, who died in 1774, was born in Ireland, but 
spent the greater part of his mature life in London. Of all the poets 
of this period, his works are, perhaps, the most read at the present 
day. His chief poems are the Deserted Village, and the Traveller. 
He was also a very popular prose writer, and has strong claims upon 
the regard of all young persons ; for he was the author of various 
histories — of Rome, Greece, England, &c. — and of the natural 
history, which have afforded them so much pleasure and instruc- 
tion. 

8. Samuel Johnson, who died in 1784, wrote verses. But he was 
more admired for his prose writings. His style, though elegant and 
pure, is more majestic than suits the ta c te of the present age. He 
published a periodical paper, called the Rambler, in which he some- 
times condescends to treat of common things, but in the same solemn 
language which he uses in moralizing on the awful destinies of man. 
The Lives of the Poets, which were written to be prefixed to a collec- 
tion of the poets of Great Britain, is perhaps the best of his produc- 
tions. His dictionary, though now considered too limited, is still 
referred to as of the highest authority. 

0. Fictitious tales in prose, by the title of romances and novels, 
had long been known in France and Italy, and had been imitated in 
Fiiigland. But they were quite different from the works known at 
the present day by the same names. The first example of the modern 
English romance, was the Castle of Otranto, published in 1704, by 
Horace Walpole, a son of the celebrated minister, Sir Robert. This 

Akenside 1 * 7. What of Goldsmith? 8. What of Johnson? 9. What was the first 
example of modern romance writing? When published, and by whom composed? 



396 DISTINGUISHED WRITERS AND POETS OF THE TIME. 

was full of horrors, and was so popular as to call forth a host of 
mutators. 

10. In 1739, Samuel Richardson, a printer in London, being 
remarkable for his expertness in letter-writing, was requested by two 
booksellers to write a volume of letters, referring to the common con- 
cerns of life, for the improvement of persons of ordinary education. 
He thought the work might be more lively and interesting, if the 
letters were made to narrate a story. Thus was produced the novel 
of Pamela, a work so vastly superior in style, and in its moral 
tendency to all which had preceded it, that it obtained a great reputa- 
tion, and was even recommended by the clergy from the pulpit. 

11. Encouraged by this success, Richardson commenced with a 
more elaborate novel, called Clarissa Harlow, four volumes of which 
were published in 1748, leaving the story unfinished. This work 
excited the greatest interest, both in England and on the continent, 
and the comfort of the reading world seemed to depend upon the 
result of the story. A report got abroad that it was to end tragically ; 
when remonstrances poured in upon the author from all quauers, 
entreating him to reward the virtue of the heroine. It is said that 
the work was intended to fill twenty-eight volumes, but was finally 
reduced to eight. 

12. We cannot, of course, mention all who were eminent in every 
branch of literature ; we can only speak of those who originated any 
particular form of composition, or who were most eminent in it. 
Many gained celebrity as philosophical writers. They were, how- 
ever, chiefly natives of Scotland, in which country great attention 
was paid, at this period, to English literature ; and societies were 
formed to encourage not only the writing, but the speaking of pure 
English. 

13. The success of these efforts is made apparent by the historical 
works of Hume and Robertson, which not only excited a taste for 
historical reading in England, but also a desire in literary men to 
rival them. To the former we are indebted for much of the interest- 
ing matter of our present story ; Hume's History of England was 
the first example of the highest kind of historical writing in English 
literature. Though defective in style, and not so complete as to facts 
as some which have succeeded it, its great merits will probably enable 
it to retain the first place for a long time to come. 

14. Hume's history only comes down to the revolution in 1688 ; 
and so much of Smollett's History of England as embraces the period 
between that event and the death of George II., is usually published 
with it ; being better than any other, though vastly inferior to Hume 
Edward Gibbon, who died in 1794, was the author of a History of 
the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire ; a work which takes rank 
with those of Hume and Robertson. 

15. We must mention one more class of works which made its 
appearance for the first time during this period. In 1731, Edward 
Cave, a printer, commenced a publication called the Gentleman's 

10. When, and by whom, was the first novel of the modern kind composed ? 13, 14. 
Who were the most distinguished historians of this period 1 15. When did thr first mag- 



ATTEMPT TO MURDER THE KING. —1787. 



39? 



Magazine, being, as the name magazine was intended to express, a 
depository of the principal discussions and intelligence contained in 
the newspapers during the preceding month. This work, which met 
with great success, soon became open to original articles of a literary 
character. 

16. The success of the Gentleman's Magazine, led to the estab- 
lishment of many others, but none, for a long period, possessed so 
much merit as his, which has been continued without interruption to 
the present day. The first periodical work devoted to the criticism of 
books, was commenced in 174'J, and was called the Monthly Review 
This review took the whig side in politics, and to counteract its influ- 
ence, the tories, in 1756, established the Critical Review, under the 
direction of Smollett, of whom we have already spoken as an histo- 
rian ; and who likewise gained much distinction as a miscellaneous 
writer, and more as a writer of novels. 



CHAPTER CCV. 

Attempts to murder the King. — The King loses his Reason^ 
but it is restored to him. — The younger Pitt. — Duties of 
the King's Ministers. 




Margaret Nicholson's attack upon the king. 

1. Though George III. never evinced any disposition to engage 
personally in war, it was not because he was deficient in courage ; 

Raines make their appearance ? Whenc.p the name magazine? 16. What of Reviews? 

34 



39S INSANITY OF GEORGE III.. — 1788. 

for he exhibited this quality on many occasions much more trying 
than amid the excitements of the field of battle. In 1787, an attempt 
was made on his life by a poor insane woman, named Margaret 
Nicholson, who, while she was with one hand presenting- a petition, 
attempted with the other to stab him with a knife. 

2. She was instantly seized by the attendants ; and the king-, for- 
getful of the danger his own life had been in, only exclaimed, " Don't 
hurt the poor woman ; she must be mad." This, on inquiry, proved 
to be the case, and she was sent to a hospital. On another occasion 
he was shot at, and the ball passed through his carriage. His attend- 
ants were thrown into the utmost agitation, but the king continued 
tranquil, and said to them, "One is supposing this, and another is 
proposing that, forgetting that there is one above all, on whom alone 
we depend, and who disposes of all things." 

3. Notwithstanding these, and many other attempts upon his life, 
he never would take any precautions against danger, always saying 
that none he might take would secure him from the attempts of a 
determined assassin, and that he would not give up his custom of 
mixing freely, and without attendants, with all ranks of people. In 
1788, the king suffered a real calamity in the loss of his reason. It 
became necessary, therefore, to appoint some person to act in his 
name during the continuance of the illness. 

4. The Prince of Wales, who was now twenty-six years old, was 
manifestly the properest person who could be invested with this impor- 
tant office. He had no fixed principles of any kind himself, but his 
friends and associates were the political opponents of the party now 
in power. When, therefore, his friends moved in parliament for his 
appointment on the ground of constitutional right, the ministry opposed 
it on that ground, but allowed that it was proper and expedient, and 
offered to bestow it, but with many restrictions and limitations o f 
power. 

5. Before the question could be settled between the two parties, 
the king recovered his reason, and of course the necessity for a regent 
— as the person who governs the kingdom during any temporary 
incapacity of the king is called — was at an end. The 24 th of October, 
1788, was the last day on which, previous to his illness, the king had 
appeared in public ; and on the 23d of April following, being then 
recovered, he went to St. Paul's Cathedral to return public thanks to 
God for his restoration to health and reason. 

6. He was attended by the royal family, and by an immense con- 
course of the nobility and of the people ; so that when the procession 
entered the church, it was crowded to excess. The scene is descrihed 
as peculiarly impressive and interesting, and particularly so when the 
6,000 children from the charity schools, who were in the church, 
joined in the choruses of the psalms and anthems. 

7. The king's physicians did not deem it safe for him to engage at 
once in public business. He therefore indulged himself, more than ho 
had before done, in the quiet enjoyment of domestic life. He loved 

CCV. — 1. What instances of the king's courage? 3. What calamity did the king 
meet with in 17S8? 4, 5. What is said of the appointment of a regent 1 7. What of 



WILLIAM PITT, THE YOUNGER.- 1 783—1803. 399 

to have his family about him, and it is said to have been a very pleas- 
ing sight to see the whole royal family, when they were in the bloom 
of youth, assembled, as they frequently were, round their parents. 
They made quite a party by themselves ; for the king had thirteen 
children who lived to grow up. 

8. These children were all comely, and had open, cheerful coun- 
tenances. They enjoyed a privilege which seldom falls to the lot of 
princes, of being brought up under the eye of parents who set them 
the example of the most perfect family harmony. The queen was a 
woman of strong sense, and of superior acquirements. She was never 
popular, for her manners were cold and reserved. But as a wife and 
mother, her conduct was exemplary. She showed herself constantly 
averse to every kind of vice and immorality, and the character of her 
court was irreproachable. 

9. The king was very grateful to his prime minister for opposing 
the appointment of his son to be regent, with all the powers of a 
sovereign; for, as we have already stated, he was very jealous of 
encroachments upon his royal prerogative, and he was, besides, dis- 
pleased not only with the political, but with the moral conduct of his 
son. Such being the feeling of the king, the minister had, indeed, 
merited his thanks, for it required no little firmness to oppose the 
wishes of one, who might, in the course of nature, at any moment 
become his sovereign. 

10. But William Pitt, who now held the office of first lord of the 
treasury, that is, of prime minister, was not a man to be deterred from 
the discharge of any duty by motives of personal interest. He was 
the second son of the Earl of Chatham, and is sometimes called the 
younger Pitt, to distinguish him from his illustrious father. He was 
appointed to the high office which he now held, in 1783, and retained 
it, with only one short interval, for twenty-two years. 

11. At the time of his appointment he was only twenty-four years 
old, but he had already exhibited his great ability and political sagacity 
as chancellor of the exchequer. By the constitution of Great Britain, 
all laws for raising money must have their origin in the house of com- 
mons ; the reason for which, is, that the greater part of the taxes are 
paid by those whom this house represents. 

12. It is one of the duties of the chancellor of the exchequer to pro- 
pose the measures by which money is to be raised ; he is, therefore, 
always a member of the house of commons ; not by right, but, as all 
other members are, in theory, by the election of the people. But sup- 
pose he should not be elected, we may ask what he would do then. 
This never happens, for if he loses his election in one place, he can 
procure it in another, either by bribing the voters, or by the influence 
of some political friend. 

13. There are many boroughs, as they are called, which have a 
right to send more than one member to parliament, and which are en- 
tirely under the control of some rich man. This abuse existed to a 
much greater extent formerly than now, for it was, in part, corrected 
by the Reform Bill, passed in 1832. 

bid domestic habits 1 8. What of his children ? 10. u. What of William Piu? I i What 



400 THE FRENCH REVOLUTION. — 1789. 

14. The deciding- as to the mode in which money shall be raised 
is one of the most difficult things a ministry has to perform. It must 
ultimately be raised by taxes, and the personal interests of some class 
or classes of persons must be affected by every tax that is imposed. 

15. Hence there will always be many objections made to every 
measure proposed. The chancelldr of the exchequer has to answer 
all these objections ; therefore, the most able commoner on the side 
of the party in power, is selected to fill this office. He naturally be- 
comes the spokesman of the ministry on all important occasions, and 
as the ministry usually has a majority of the members on its side, he 
is sometimes called " the leader of the house of commons." 

16. The prime minister sometimes chooses to hold this office him- 
self, in addition to that of the first lord of the treasury, who is not 
necessarily a peer. This was the case with William Pitt, who chose 
to defend the measures which, though nominally the acts of many 
ministers, were virtually his own, for he was the soul of the govern- 
ment. He did not possess the brilliant eloquence of his father, or of 
his great rivals for power and fame, Fox and Burke ; but he had the 
faculty of convincing, by the force of his arguments, which were 
always presented in the clearest manner, and in the most natural 
order. 

17. He governed the country during one of the most stormy peri- 
ods in the history of the world ; and he brought her through it not 
only in safety, but with glory. George III. never displayed so much 
sagacity during his long reign, as in retaining him in power, in spite of 
the clamors of the opposite party, which were sometimes loud enough 
to have shaken the purpose of a less obstinate sovereign. 



CHAPTER CCVI. 

The French Revolution breaks out. — Measures adopted by the 
other States of Europe in consequence of it. — What Effect 
the News produced in England. — War between France and 
England. 



"^' 



1. The repose which Europe now enjoyed was destined to be 
broken by an event which, while it gave joy to the lovers of liberty 
struck terror into the hearts of the despotic rulers of Europe. In 
1789, the French people, who had for centuries been subjected to thf 
most grievous oppressions on the part of the nobles, asserted their nat- 
ural rights. Their representatives assembled in convention, abolished 
all royalty, with its attendant distinction of ranks, and established a 
republic. 

2. This proceeding was very alarming to the absolute kings of the 

of the office of chancellor of the exchequer ? Why does it require a man of abilities ? 
15, 16, 17. Whiit of Pitt's abilities? 
CCVI. — 1 . What disturbed the repose of Europe in 1789 1 2. What course was adopted 



DESTRUCTION OF THE BASTILE. — 17S9. 401 

neighboring states. Their own subjects might be infected with a Jove 
of liberty ; so the sovereigns of Austria and Prussia determined to put 
down this impudent attempt of an independent people to establish a 
government to their own liking, and for this purpose to march their 
armies into France. 

3. This was a very unwise measure ; they should have remem- 
bered that their armies were not invincible ; and that if they were 
beaten, the French conquerors might not content themselves with 
driving them out of their country, but might, in retaliation, become 
themselves invaders. In such case, the liberal principles they so 
much dreaded would come with infinitely greater force. Had they 
been wise, they would have left the French to settle their own 
affairs. 

4. The people of France, indignant at this attempt of strangers to 
dictate to them a form of government, rushed with the greatest enthu- 
siasm to repel the invaders, and did not stop in their victorious career 
till they had taken nearly the whole of the Austrian Netherlands. 
Such was the commencement of a war, which, with little intermis- 
sion, ravaged Europe for above twenty years. 

5. We must now consider how the people of England were affected 
by the events which were taking place on the continent. The de- 
struction of the Bastile by the inhabitants of Paris first drew their 
attention to the efforts of the French people to redress their wrongs. 
This prison was a stone structure, which, in ancient times, had been 
a fortress to protect Paris from foreign aggressors, but for many cen- 
turies it had been used only as an instrument of domestic tyranny. 

b\ A mere order from the king was sufficient to consign any per- 
son to this gloomy prison. This power was most shamefully abused, 
for not only were the orders against those who had committed the 
slightest offence in word, deed, or even in supposed thought, against 
the king or his favorites, but they were even made a source of reve- 
nue to these favorites, for they were sold to individuals to be used to 
gratify private malice and revenge. Thousands of victims had lan- 
guished out their lives in this horrible abode. 

7. Its destruction, therefore, excited a feeling of joy amongst the 
English people, who heartily sympathized in the attempt of their 
neighbors to establish a more liberal form of government. But the 
sympathies of the king were for the royal family of France ; and, as 
Elector of Hanover, he entered into the views of the other sovereigns 
of Europe. His prime minister, also, was a believer in the necessity 
of strong governments, as they are called, that is, governments in 
which the chief power is permanently placed in the hands k of one 
person. 

8. The French people were like wild beasts who had long been 
subjected to cruel keepers, upon whom was now vented their lono- 
pent-up rage. The sanguinary excesses committed by the mob, 
who at first ruled in France, excited the horror and fears of manv 



by the other governments of Europe ? 4. What was the consequence? 5. What event 
drew the attention of the people of England to French affairs ? 6. What of the French 
king's despotic power ? 7. What feeling was first excited in England ? What were the 
opinions of the king and of his prime minister? 8. What measure did the English gov 
26 



402 GLOOMY STATE OF AFFAIRS IN 179". 

good people in England ; so that the king and his ministers were not 
without a party to support them in their refusal to recognize the new 
republic, or to receive its ambassador, — a measure which unavoidably 
led to war. 

9. This was declared by the French convention on the 1st of Feb- 
ruary, 1793. About the same time the French invaded Holland, and 
the Duke of York, the king's second son, was sent, with a considera- 
ble army under his command, to assist the Dutch. But he effected 
nothing, except to make a good retreat and a safe return to England 
in the following winter. Holland soon submitted, and a new state, 
called the Batavian Republic, was established, in alliance with France, 
whose victorious arms soon compelled the King of Prussia to sue for 
peace. 

10. England and Austria maintained the war for several years 
longer, but with such ill success on the part of the latter, that, in 
1797, she was compelled to accept such terms of peace as France 
would allow her. This success on the part of the French is to be as- 
cribed chiefly to Napoleon Bonaparte, a young Corsican, whose won- 
lerful abilities had raised him from the rank of lieutenant of artillery 
to the command of the French army in Italy. The treaty between 
France and Austria was signed at Campo Formio, October 17th, 1797. 
Thus England was left alone in the contest. 



CHAPTER CCVII. 

Gloomy State of Affairs in 1797. — The Bank of England sus- 
pends Payment. — Mutinies among the Seamen. 

1. The year 1797 was a gloomy period in England. The national 
finances, burdened with debts contracted to carry on former wars, 
seemed unequal to meet the expenses of a lengthened contest. The 
Bank of England, by orders of the government, stopped the payment 
of its notes in gold or silver, and paper became the only money in cir- 
culation. To add to the public distress, an alarming mutiny broke out 
among the sailors in the ships of war, who demanded an increase of 
pay and amelioration of their condition, which was in truth worse than 
that of slaves. 

2. If they had entered into that service of their own accord, they 
would* have had less reason in their complaints. But it was not so. 
Instead of inducing men to serve as sailors on board the ships of war 
by offering sufficient wages and kind treatment, the British govern- 
ment resorts to force to man her navy. A party of soldiers, with an 
officer, goes about, seizing upon all persons who look like sailors, or 
who the officer thinks would make good seamen, and carries them by 

ernment adopt in reference to France? 9. What was the consequence? What, of the 
success of the French as to Holland and Russia ? in. What of the war between Austria 
and France ? By what treaty was it concluded ? When ? 

CCVII.— 1. What is said of the year 1797? What events caused a depression of feel- 



MUTINIES AMONG BRITISH SEAMEN. 403 

force on board of a ship, where they are generally compelled to serve 
till death relieves them from oppression. 

3. The toils and sufferings of the sailor's life bear hardly enough 
upon those who adopt it from choice, and are habituated to its dan 
gers from infancy. In addition to the ordinary perils of the sea, these 
impressed seamen were exposed to all the evils of war. We can 
conceive better than we can describe the feelings of men torn from 
their families without a moment's warning, and subjected to treatment 
which made the public ships so odious that sailors by profession care- 
fully concealed themselves, when on shore, to avoid being pressed into 
them. 

4. But woe to the poor fellow who lets any of his feelings be seen, 
or who displays any unwillingness to perform the compulsory service, 
or from inability cannot perform it ; a cruel beating with the cat-o'- 
nine-tails, an instrumenl of torture, having, as its name denotes, nine 
lashes, soon reminds him that he is no longer a freeman. It is not at 
all surprising that persons so situated should seek to procure redress 
for their wrongs ; and that finding that petitions and remonstrances 
were not regarded, should attempt to procure it by force. 

5. In the month of April, the whole body of sailors in the grand 
fleet which guarded the British Channel, declared their determination 
no longer to submit to the officers, unless an increase of pay and a 
change in the regulations concerning provisions should be granted to 
them. A council, composed of two delegates from each ship, took 
command of the squadron. The consternation caused by this event 
was very great ; for the security of England from invasion depended 
mainly upon the fleet. 

6. It was deemed by government to be most expedient to accede to 
the required terms, and a bill was hastily passed through parliament 
securing to the seamen what the ministers had promised. The dele- 
gates of the fleet declared themselves satisfied, and harmony and good 
order were restored. But the spirit of insurrection was contagious, 
and no sooner was it quelled in the Channel fleet, than it broke out in 
the ships lying at Sheerness and at Yarmouth. 

7. New grievances were required to be redressed, and the facility 
with which the demands of the Channel fleet had been granted, en- 
couraged the present insurgents to make demands not quite so reason- 
able. The government now determined to yield no more, and made 
every disposition to force the ships to submission. Guards were 
placed to prevent any communication between them and the shore, and 
no water or provisions was suffered to go to them. For a time, the 
mutineers were able to get a supply of these from merchant vessels 
which they seized. 

8. At length, being reduced to great want of water, and distrust 
prevailing among themselves, ship after ship deserted, until at length 
all came in and surrendered. The leaders were tried and executed. 
The ships were soon after ordered to sea, to watch the motions of a 

tag in England ? 2. How are British ships of war supplied wilh men? 5. What was 
the consequence of the bad treatment of the seamen? 6. What is said of the second 
uttiov ? 8. Wnat victory did Admiral Ducan gain? 



404 BONIPARTE iETURNS FROM EGYPT. — ^799. 

D itch fleet, and any unfavorable impressions which might remair 
were effectually removed by the complete victory which they gained 
on the 11th of October; as a reward for which, Admiral Duncan, the 
commander of the fleet, was raised to the peerage. 



CHAPTER CCVII1. 

Bonaparte, after conquering Egypt, returns to France, (f 
which he becomes the Ruler. — He leads his Army over the 
Alps, and defeats the Austrians in Italy. — Expedition 
against Copenhagen under Lord Nelson. 

1. At this period Bonaparte was in Egypt, apparently in a very 
hazardous situation, for the fleet which had carried him thither had 
been destroyed by the English fleet, under Admiral Nelson, who now 
had the undisputed control of the Mediterranean Sea, thus cutting off 
the French from receiving any supplies or reinforcements. But the 
genius of the French general inspired the troops with confidence and 
spirit. Egypt being conquered, their arms were turned against Syria. 
which, like Egypt, was subject to Turkey. 

2. Proceeding onward in their victorious course, they laid siege to 
Acre, a very strong fortress on the shores of the Mediterranean. Bo- 
naparte now felt the want of a fleet, with which to prevent the town 
from receiving succor by sea. The Turks defended the place bravely ; 
it must, however, have been surrendered, but for the arrival of some 
English ships under Sir Sydney Smith. Landing with his sailors, he 
assisted in repulsing an assault, which the Turks, without his assist- 
ance, could not have withstood. 

3. Returning to Egypt, Bonaparte received information which in- 
duced him to leave the army and go back to France. Embarking on 
board one of his remaining frigates, he made the voyage in safety, 
and, on the 9th of October, 1799, landed at Frejus, a small port in 
France, after having been for forty-one days exposed to capture by 
the enemy's ships, which traversed the sea in all directions. This 
passage is not one of the least extraordinary events of his wonderful 
life. 

4. The French people were very much dissatisfied with their 
present rulers : and Bonaparte was hailed as the deliverer of France. 
Soon after his arrival at Paris, he was able to effect a change in the 
government, which was now entrusted to three officers, called con- 
suls, of whom he was the chief, and in whom all power was, in fact, 
vested. One of the first acts of the First Consul, as he was styled, 
was to offer peace to England and Austria. But neither power 
thought fit to accept the proposal, and the British government did not 
even deign to reply. 

CCVIII. — 1. What of the French operations in Egypt? What of those in Syria) 
3. What of Bonaparte's return to France? What took place in France after his re- 



BATTLE OF HOHENLINDEN. — 18Q0. 405 

5. The most active preparations were made on all sides for carry- 
ing- on the war with vigor. The first consul in person took the com- 
mand of the army destined to act against the Austrians in Italy. The 
Austrian general made the best arrangements for defending the passage 
round the Alps into Italy, thinking it impossible for an army to enter 
it by any other route. 

6. But nothing seemed to be impossible to Bonaparte. Crossing 
directly over the Alps ; transporting his army, with all its baggage, 
stores, and artillery, by ways hitherto deemed almost impassable for 
unincumbered travellers, he took the Austrian general completely by 
surprise. The battle of Marengo decided the fate of Italy. The 
French arms being equally successful in other quarters, Austria was 
once more compelled to sue for peace, and negotiations were com- 
menced. 

7. The Emperor of Germany demanded that England should be 
included in the treaty, to which Bonaparte agreed. The requisitions 
of the English government were, however, such as Bonaparte would 
not accede to ; so the negotiations were broken off, and the emperor 
renewed hostilities. His principal army took the field on the 24th of 
November, 1800, and, on the 3d of December, was totally defeated at 
Hohenlinden by the French under Moreau. 

8. Nothing remained for Austria but to accept such terms of peace 
as the first consul would grant. These were very liberal, and the 
treaty was signed at Luneville, in February, 1801, and England was 
again left to sustain the war alone. New enemies, too, now appeared. 
Paul, Emperor of Russia, enraptured with the abilities and military 
glory of Bonaparte, declared himself the warm friend of France, and 
to show his regard, he seized upon all the British vessels in his ports. 

9. Denmark and Sweden seemed to be on the point of joining with 
Russia in a confederacy against the maritime power of England. 
But this project was defeated by the promptitude of the British 
government. A force was sent, under Lord Nelson, to destroy the 
Danish ships at Copenhagen. The expedition was completely sue 
cessful, and Denmark agreed to remain at peace with England. 

10. Nelson then proceeded towards Russia. But his operations 
in lhat quarter were, interrupted by the death of Paul. His son and 
successor, Alexander, immediately disclaimed all hostile intentions 
towards England. About the same time, the French forces were 
driven out of Egypt by the British, under Sir Ralph Abercrombie ; 
a success which was dearly purchased by the loss of that commander. 

turn ? 5. 6. What of the war in Italy? 7. When, and between whom, was the battle 
of Hnhenlintlen ? 8. When and where was peace concluded between France and Austria? 
y What new enemies against England appeared ? What measure did Englard adopt in 
consequence ? 10. What of the French army in Egypt '! 



406 BATTLE OF TRAFALGAR. - 1805. 



CHAPTER CCIX. 

Peace of Amiens. — Hostilities renewed betiveen France and 
England. — Battle of Trafalgar. — Death of Lord Nelson. 
■ — Condition of Europe in 1S08. 

1. Previous to the transactions which we have just mentioned, a 
change had taken place in the English ministry. On the 11th of 
January, 1801, Mr. Pitt resigned the offices he had held for eighteen 
years. The new ministers at once commenced negotiations for peace 
with France, which was concluded at Amiens, March 27th, 1802. 
All England rung with joyful acclamations at the attainment of this 
long wished-for object. 

2. But the joy was of short continuance. By the terms of the 
treaty, England was bound to surrender Malta, an island in the Medi- 
terranean Sea, to the Knights of St. John, an order which had been 
founded at the time of the crusades, and which, -after maintaining a 
war against the Turks for many hundred years, had quietly established 
itself on this island. 

3. England was also bound to give up to the Dutch the Cape of 
Good Hope, which it had captured from them. But when the demand 
was made upon her to comply with these stipulations, she declined. 
The true reason for this refusal was, that the British government 
foresaw that other causes would soon bring about a new war, and 
they thought they would save themselves the trouble of capturing 
these places anew. Hostilities were renewed in 1803, and Mr. Pitt 
resumed his place at the head of the ministry. 

4. In 1804, Bonaparte was proclaimed Emperor of the French. 
He had now acquired unlimited sway, not only in that country, but 
also over a great part of Europe. England alone remained entirely 
independent. As she had no allies on the continent of Europe, her 
active operations were confined principally to the ocean, on which she 
maintained her usual superiority. The most celebrated naval battle 
was that fought off Cape Trafalgar, in Spain, on the 21st of October 
1805, when the British fleet, under Lord Nelson, defeated the com 
bined fleets of France and Spain. 

5. In the midst of the engagement, Lord Nelson received a mortal 
wound. When he felt himself wounded, he covered his face with his 
handkerchief, and concealed the decorations of his coat, fearing lest 
his crew should be disheartened by knowing that the commander had 
fallen. He was carried down to the surgeon's room, where he lived 
long enough to know that his fleet was victorious. His last orders, 
given almost with his dying breath, were that the ships should be 
anchored. These orders were not obeyed, and the consequence was, 

CCIX. — 1. When did Mr. Pitt eo out of office 1 When and where was peace made ? 
2 3 Were the terms of this treaty executed ? When were hostilities renewed ? 4. What 
naval victory did the English gain? Who commanded in the battle? 5. Relate the 
furt ic.ulars of Nelsij i's death. 6. What powers joined England in the war? Where, 
and by whom, were they defeated? 7. When did Mr. Pitt die? Who succeeded him 5 



' 



MR ARTHUR WELLESLEY SENT TO SPAIN. -1808. 407 

that most of the ships they had taken were driven on shore in a gale 
•which sprung- up in the night. 

6. The money and diplomacy of England induced the Emperor of 
Austria, in conjunction with the Emperor of Russia, once more to try 
his fortunes in a war with France. But he soon found reason to 
repent of his rashness. Napoleon, as Bonaparte was called after he 
became emperor, advanced at once into Austria with a powerful army. 
Vienna, the capital, was taken, and the Russian and Austrian troops 
defeated at Austerlitz. 

7. Nothing remained for the Emperor of Austria but to make peace, 
which he did, upon very humiliating terms, at Presburg, December 
26th, 1805. The death of Mr. Pitt, on the 23d of January, 1806, 
produced a change in the British ministry. Charles James Fox, who 
had through life been his great rival for power, was placed at the 
head of affairs. His administration was cut short by his death, 
September 13, 1806. Of the ministry which succeeded, Mr. Perceval 
is usually considered the head. 

8. In the mean time, Napoleon continued his victorious career. 
The King of Prussia, who had taken up arms against him, was com- 
pelled, in 1807, to purchase the Peace of Tilsit, by the surrender of a 
considerable portion of his territories. The Emperor of Russia also 
found it expedient to come to terms with the French. Thus, in 1808, 
Napoleon had nearly the whole continent of Europe under his control. 
Out of the territories which he had taken from Austria and Prussia 
he formed a new kingdom for his brother Jerome. 

9. Upon the throne of Naples he placed Murat, his brother-in-law. 
The King of Spain was a prisoner in France, and Joseph Bonaparte, 
brother of Napoleon, was seated on his throne. Louis Bonaparte, 
another brother, was King of Holland. Portugal was also under the 
dominion of this great conqueror. The papal power was overthrown, 
and the pope himself a resident in France. The Bourbon claimant of 
the throne of France was living in England, under the name of the 
Count de Lille, with little prospect of ever being restored to his rank. 



CHAPTER CCX. 



Sir Arthur Wellesley sent into Spain. — Death of Sir John 
Moore. — The Walcheren Expedition. — The Cabinet. — 
Melancholy Condition of George III. during the last Years 
of his Life. — A Regent appointed. 

1 . The Spaniards did not rest quietly under a foreign yoke. They 
lose in arms against their invaders. In July, 1808, a British army, 
under Sir Arthur Wellesley, was sent to their assistance. Finding 
that Portugal offered a better field for operations, Wellesley went 

When did Mr. Fox die? 8. What of Napoleon's career ? What of the peace of Tilsit? 
What of Napoleon's power in 130S? How had he provided for his family ? 



408 THE WALCHEREN EXPEDITION. — 1809. 

1 hither. He was so successful that the French were compelled to 
withdraw themselves from the country. 

2. Sir John Moore, who arrived in Spain in November, with 
another British army, was not so fortunate. Having advanced into 
the country," he found himself compelled to make a rapid retreat. He 
arrived at Corunna, January 16th, 1809, closely followed by the 
French, under Marshal Soult, who attacked the British as they were 
embarking. Sir John Moore was among the killed. He was buried 
on the ramparts of Corunna ; an event which is commemorated in the 
beautiful and familiar verses of Wolfe. 

3. On the 8th of April, 1809, Austria again declared war against 
France ; but after having suffered a decisive defeat in the battle of 
Wagram, July 21, was compelled again to sue for peace. This new 
treaty was cemented by the marriage of the Emperor Napoleon with 
Maria Louisa, a daughter of the Emperor of Austria. The most 
remarkable event of the year, so far as England was concerned, was 
the Walcheren expedition, as it is called, fitted out against Holland, 
and which was most disgracefully unsuccessful. 

4. The reader has doubtless remarked the great change which has 
taken place in the notice we have to take of the King of England 
In older times, it was, " the king did this," and " the king did that," 
— the history of the events which took place being little more than 
an account of the king's doings and adventures. But as the great 
body of the people had now increased in wealth and intelligence, the 
relation between the monarch and the people had greatly changed. 

5. All power was now virtually in the people ; a minister, sup- 
ported by the king, might for a time induce a majority of the members 
of parliament to vote as he wished, and against the wishes of a major- 
ity of the people ; but eventually the will of the people prevails. It 
is a maxim of English law, that " the king can do no wrong ;" there- 
fore he cannot be held responsible, or punished for his conduct by law. 
To guard against the evils which might result from this, it is a 
provision of the British constitution that the king himself shall per- 
form no act of government. 

6. Everything must be done by certain great officers of state, 
corresponding to the secretaries of state, treasury, &c, in the govern- 
ment of the United States. These officers are called the king's 
"ministers," and sometimes "the cabinet." They are responsible 
for the measures that government adopt ; and formerly they generally 
answered with their lives for unpopular measures. Indeed, as late as 
the reign of George I., it w T as almost a matter of course that, upon 
every change in the ministry, the chief ministers who went out of 
power should be impeached for high treason. 

7. Though the sovereign took so little active part in affairs, yet he 
necessarily possesses a great influence in the state ; we cannot, there- 
fore, entirely neglect him. In November, 1810, the death of his 
youngest and favorite child, the Princess Amelia, brought upon 

CCX. — 1. What of the British operations in Spain? 2. What of Sir John Moore ? 
?>. What of the war between Austria and France '? What expedition fitted out by Eng- 
land '.' 4. What change has taken place in the course of the story 1 5. What maxim 
a.s to the king? How is its effect obviated ? 6. What of the cabinet ?- 7. What mis- 



vVAR WITH THE UNITED STATES. — 1-12. 409 

George III. a return of his former complaint, and he sank into a state 
of incurable insanity. About the same time lie became totally blind. 
He had a few lucid intervals. During- one of these he heard a bell 
tolling for a funeral, and asked who it was for. 

8. On being told that it was for a tradesman's wife in Windsor, he 
said, " I remember her well ; she was a good woman, and brought 
up her family in the fear of God. She is gone to heaven ; I hope 1 
shall soon follow her." Little, however, is known of the late years 
of the king's life ; for the queen, with true feeling and delicacy, could 
not bear that his calamities should be exposed to the public gaze, and 
by her particular desire he was only seen by his physicians and neces- 
sary attendants. 

9. He passed his time chiefly in roving from room to room of the 
long range of apartments which had been prepared for his accommo- 
dation in Windsor Castle. In these apartments were placed several 
harpsichords and pianofortes, and he would occasionally play a few 
bars of Handel's music on them as he passed. Sometimes he would 
hold long dialogues with imaginary persons. At other times he would 
suppose himself to be dead, and to be conversing with angels, and 
Avould talk of what he fancied the queen and his children were doing 
in this world. 

10. His piety was continually gleaming through all his wanderings, 
and he would often pray with a fervor of devotion affecting to those 
who overheard him. As his mental disease was evidently incurable, 
it was absolutely necessary to select a regent, and the Prince of Wales 
was appointed without any opposition. He retained all his father's 
ministers, and no change was made in the system of conducting puhlir 
affairs. 



CHAPTER CCXI. 

The overbearing Conduct of Great Britain leads to a War 
loith the United States. — War in the Peninsula, ivhere Lord 
Wellington commands the British. — Expedition of Napoleon 
into Russia. — Disastrous Result. — The rest of Europe com- 
bines against France. — Napoleon sent to Elba. — Returns 
to France and recovers his Power there. — Battle of Wafer- 
loo. — He is dethroned by the Allies, and sent to St. Helena. 

1. Great Britain exercised her superiority on the ocean in a very 
overbearing manner towards those nations who took no part in the 
war, and subjected the commerce of neutral nations to innumerable 
vexations. The citizens of the United States, being the most largely 
engaged in commerce, were the greatest sufferers. They were also 

fortunes befell George III in l«in '< 9. How did he pass the rest of his life? 10. By 
whom was the couutrv ?.>verned? 



410 EXPEDITION OF NAPOLEON INTO RUSSIA. — 1812. 

subjected to a peculiar outrage, arising from the common origin of tho 
two nations. 

2. Great Britain, like all other monarchical governments, denies 
the right of any person to renounce his country, and to become the 
citizen or subject of any other state or power. In pursuance of this 
principle, her press-gangs would go on board neutral ships, and take 
from them such persons as they chose to consider British subjec's 
The common language, and great resemblance between the English 
and the Americans, made it very difficult to distinguish between 
them. 

3. Nor were the British officers very careful in making their selec- 
tions, so that a large number of American citizens were seized in this 
outrageous manner, and held in bondage on board British vessels. 
A British press-gang had, indeed, no more right to go on board an 
American vessel, than they had to enter our house, and to take one 
of us to serve in their vessels. The government of the United States 
remonstrated in vain against this and other outrages, and at length, 
when other measures had been tried in vain, in 1812, they declared 
war. 

4. This contest was carried on at such a distance from home, and 
upon so small a scale, compared with those which were waging in 
Europe, that it attracted comparatively little attention in England. 
We must therefore pass it over, referring the reader, for full details, 
to another volume.* We now return to Spain, where, during the 
years 1811 and 1812, the British troops, under Sir Arthur Wellesley, 
who had been made Lord Wellington, gained many victories, but 
were at last obliged to retire into Portugal. 

5. In 1813, Lord Wellington succeeded in driving the French out 
of Spain and Portugal, or the Peninsula, as it is called, and, on the 
7th of October, entered France. He advanced into the country, and 
on the 11th of April, 1814, defeated the French army, under Marshal 
Soult, at Toulouse. We must now go back to Napoleon, whom we 
left at the pinnacle of greatness, ruling most of the nations of Europe. 
On the continent, Russia alone was not subject to his will. The 
attempt was now to be made to subdue that country also. 

6. On the 24th of June, 1812, Napoleon passed the river Niemen, 
the boundary of Russia, at the head of an army of 400,000 men. 
Sweeping all before him, he entered Moscow, the ancient capital of 
the country, on September 15th, with the intention of passing the 
winter in that city. But the Russian governor, before he left the 
town, had caused it to be set on fire in various places. The houses 
being chiefly of wood, the flames spread with so much rapidity, that 
all the attempts of the French to arrest it proved vain, and two thirds 
of the city was destroyed. 

7. It had never entered into the mind of Napoleon, that a people 

CCXI. — 2. What right does England deny ? What did she do in pursuance of this 
denial? 3. To what did her conduct lead ? Where, in Europe, were the British troops 
successful? Who commanded? 5. When did Lord Wellington enter France? What 
battle did he gain? 6. When did Napoleon pass the Russian boundary? What was his 



' Pictorial History of the United States, by the author of Peter Parley's Tales." 



ABDICATION OF NAPOLEON. — 1814 



411 



would destroy their own capital ; he had therefore made no provision 
for the support or shelter of his army during the long Russian winter, 
relying upon finding every necessary thing in the captured city. Pie 
was now, therefore, in great difficulty. His stores were exhausted, 
his supplies were cut off by the Russian troops; his soldiers were 
dispirited and worn out by fatigue and exposure. A retreat was all 
that remained to him. 

8. The horrors of this retreat are past our powers to describe 
The route of the army might, in many places, be traced by the dead 
bodies of those who perished from hunger, cold, and fatigue. Of 
the host that entered Russia, not more than 50,000 re-crossed the 
boundary of the country on the return. On the 4th of December, 
Napoleon left the army, and set off on a rapid journey to Paris. 

9. These reverses encouraged the subject nations to endeavor to 
shake off the yoke of France. Prussia was the first to join the ad- 
vancing armies of Russia. Sweden and Austria followed her lead, 
and, in November, 1813, Holland joined the allies, as did Denmark, 
in January, 1814. The immense armies of the allies compelled the 
French to retreat to their own country, whither they pursued. On 
the 30th of March, 1814, the combined armies gained a great victory 
before Paris, and the next day entered the city in triumph. 




Napoleon on board the Bellerophon. 

10. On the 4th of April, Napoleon abdicated the throne, and 
retired to the small island of Elba, on the coast of Italy, which was 
assigned to him by the allied powers. The Empress "Maria Louisa 
and her infant son had previously gone to Vienna. On the 3d of 
May, Louis XVIII., brother and heir to Louis XVI., who was be- 
headed, made his ent ry into Paris. On the 30th of May, peace was 

eucrawe? What checked his career? 8. WW "f his retreatl 9. What effect had 
these reverses upon other nations? 10. Relate the events which happened till peace was 



412 BATTLE CF WATERLOO. — 1815. 

concluded between die allied powers and France. A few months 
afterwards peace was made between England and the United States. 

11. But the French could not reconcile themselves to a king who 
was forced upon them by foreign bayonets. They longed for an oppor- 
tunity to get rid of him. This was soon offered. In March, 1815 
all Europe was alarmed by the news that Napoleon had landed in 
France, and had been received by the people with acclamations of joy. 
On the morning of March 20, Louis XVIII. fled from Paris, and on 
the evening of the same day Napoleon took up his residence in the 
royal palace, and resumed the government without opposition. 

12. His first act was to propose to the allies to maintain the peace on 
the terms which had lately been settled. But they rejected tba pro- 
posal, and put their armies in motion, for the purpose of crushing the 
man whose ambition troubled the world. To prevent their entrance 
into France, Napoleon advanced at the head of 150,000 me', into the 
Netherlands. On the 17th, after some bloody conflicts, the allied 
army, under Lord Wellington, posted itself near the villag' of Water- 
loo. » 

13. About 10 o'clock the next day began one of the se /erest battles 
recorded in history. It raged furiously during the w.iole day, and 
ended in the total defeat of the French. When all was lost, Napo- 
leon quitted the field, attended by five or six officers, and arrived at 
Paris on the night of the 20th. Seeing no hope of retrieving his 
affairs, he went to Rochefort with the intention of proceeding to the 
United States. 

14. Finding that the harbor was guarded by an English frigate, he 
came to the resolution of throwing himself upon the generosity of 
the English nation ; a confidence which was requited, by the regent 
and party in power, by banishment and confinement for life at St. 
Helena, a little rocky island rising up in the middle of the Atlantic 
Ocean. Here he died, May 5, 1821. In 1840, the whigs being in 
power in England, and a new family on the throne of France, an ex- 
pedition was sent out under the king's son to bring the body of Napo- 
leon to France. It was borne to Paris, and there reentombed, with 
vast pomp, amid the tears of millions. 

15. After the battle of Waterloo, the victorious army advanced 
upon Paris, which made no resistance. On the 8th of July, Louis 
XVIII. reentered his capital ; but the foreign troops retained pos- 
session of it till peace was finally restored, which took place in Octo- 
ber. By the treaty the allies were to retain several fortresses on the 
side of the Netherlands for five years, as security for the preservation 
of peace, and to have troops in readiness to put down any rising of 
the French people. The expense of supporting these troops was de- 
frayed by France. 

made. II. What of the feelings of the French ? What of Napoleon ? When was the 
battle of Waterloo fought? Who were victorious 1 What became of Napoleon? 15 
What was done as to France after the battle of Waterloo ? 




JNATIONAL DEBT OF GKEAT BRITAIN. 413 



CHAPTER CCXII. 

The National Debt of Great Britain. — Bar graves and Ark- 
wright make great Improvements in Machinery. — Watt 
and the Steam Engine. — Great Importance of the latter in 
England. 

1. It may well excite our surprise that Great Britain should he 
ahle to obtain money enough to sustain her long wars. She not only 
had her own troops to support, but the assistance of Austria, Prussia, 
and other powers, was purchased at great cost. They were in fact 
bribed to take part in the wars which were ostensibly carrying on for 
their own deliverance. The immediate means by which England 
obtained her supplies of money consisted in loans. 

2. There are a great many men in England who have money 
which they do not wish to employ in business, and which they are 
willing to le«d to the government, receiving a certain sum for the use 
of it, which sum, or interest, is usually paid half-yearly. The gov- 
ernment issues a written paper, specifying the sum lent, and the rate 
of interest, or amount of hall-yearly payment. This debt, on the part 
of the government, constitutes what is called the public finds. It is 
divided into very small sums, and portions of it are bought and sold, 
like bank stock, or rail-road stock. 

3. This debt, which was commenced by William III., now amounts 
to four thousand millions of dollars. There is no idea that the prin- 
cipal of it will ever be paid. The interest on it amounts to a very 
large sum, and as this must be raised by taxes, a very heavy burden 
is imposed on the people. But they submit to this cheerfully, rather 
than violate the public faith. The punctuality in the payment of 
interest gives such confidence to the people who have money to lend, 
that upon one occasion during the war, the enormous sum of ninety 
millions of dollars was borrowed in fifteen hours. 

4. But we may ask how the people of England became so rich. 
Chiefly by commerce and the increase of manufactures, especially 
that of cotton. Until the middle of the last century the spinning of 
cotton was performed by hand, with the aid of the common spinning- 
wheel. In 1767, Richard Hargraves, a carpenter, invented the 
spinning-jenny, a machine by which a great many threads could be 
spun with as much ease as one could before. 

5. This was a great improvement, but the spinning-jenny required 
to be worked by hand. In 1770, Richard Arkwright, a barber of 
Preston, in England, made public his invention of the toatcr-spinning- 
frame, a machine which may be moved wholly by water or steam, 
and which does the work of a vast number of human fingers in the 
same time, and with much more precision. 

6. This invention gave an immense impulse to industry, and by 
enabling Great Britain to manufacture at a cheaper rate than any 

CCXII —2. What, i* meant by the term public funds? 4. What is the great source 
35* 



414 ADVANTAGES OF STEAM IN MANUFACTURES. 

other nation, added enormously to her wealth. Arkwright may well 
he called a benefactor of his country, for by diminishing the cost of 
an article of clothing, he added to the comforts of the poor, which 
are by far the largest portion of the people. An immense fortune 
was the reward of his ingenuity. 

7. But as there are in Great Britain, compared with our own 
country, few streams which have a sufficient fall of water to move 
machinery, the inventions of Arkwright would have been of compar- 
atively little advantage, without the aid of the steam engine, which, 
about the same time, was rendered an efficient agent, and brought 
into general use, in consequence of the improvements made in it by 
James Watt, a mechanic of Glasgow, in Scotland. 

8. Of the immense value, in England, of these improvements in a 
machine which was before of comparatively little worth, the follow- 
ing extract from an English author may convey an idea. " Con- 
sidered in its application to husbandry, the farmer looks out upon the 
neat paling in front of his dwelling ; it was sawed by steam. The 
spade with which he digs his garden, the rake, the hoe, the pickaxe, 
the scythe, the sickle, — every implement of rural toil, — are produced 
by steam. 

9. ; ' Steam bruises the oil-cake which feeds his cattle ; moulds the 
ploughshare which turns up his fields; forms the shears which clip 
his Hock ; and cards, spins, and weaves the produce. Applied to ar- 
chitecture, we find the hundred arms of the steam engine everywhere 
at work. Stone is cut by it, marble polished, cement ground, mortar 
mixed, floors sawed, doors planed, chimney-pieces carved, lead rolled 
for roofs, and drawn for gutters, rails formed, gratings and bolts 
forged, paints ground and mixed, and paper made and stained. 

10. tk By the same power is worsted dyed and carpet wove, ma- 
hogany veneered, door locks ornamented, the stuff for curtains made, 
printed and measured ; fringes, tassels and bell-ropes, chair covers 
and chair-rails, bell-wires, linens and blankets manufactured ; china 
and earthen ware turned ; glass cut and pier-glass formed ; the draw- 
ing-room, dining-room, kitchen closets, all owe to steam their most 
essential requisites. 

11. " Should it be asked, what has enabled the mechanic to wear 
two hats a year instead of going bareheaded or sporting the bonnet 
w-hich their father wore ; what has clothed them in suits of cloth as 
good as that worn by the highest in the land ; what has donned for 
their wives the apparel of ladies, made their boys rejoice in a plurality 
of suits ; 

12. " What has, in the bridal hour, dressed their daughters in robes, 
delicate in texture as the spider's web, beautiful in color as the rain- 
bow's hues, and for elegance such as never, in their grandames' 
younger days, even duchesses wore ; what plaited her bonnet, tam- 
boured her net, wove her laces, knitted her stockings, veneered her 
comb, flowered her ribands, gilded her buttons, sewed her shoes, and 

of England's wealth? What of Harsrraves ? 5. Whatof Arkwright ? 7. What of Jamea 
Watt ? 9. State generally the benefits of the steam engine to Great Britain. 



LORD EXMOUTH'S EXPEDITION TO ALGIERS. - 131 6. 415 

even fashioned the rosette that ornamented their ties 1 The answer 
is, — steam." 



CHAPTER CCXIII. 

Lord Exmouth' s Expedition to Algiers. — The African Slais 
Trade suppressed. — John Hoiuard, the Philanthropist. 

1. The Algerines and the other states of Barbary, on the African 
coast of the Mediterranean Sea, had for many centuries been little 
better than hordes of pirates. Fitting out cruisers, they seized upon 
the vessels of all nations frequenting the Mediterranean, and made 
slaves of the unhappy persons whom they found in them. It is unac- 
countable that the powerful nations of Europe should so long have 
submitted to their depredations. 

2. Instead of sending forces to break up the nests of these pirates, 
commercial nations were in the habit of purchasing the safety of their 
vessels by the annual payment of large sums of money to the chiefs 
of the several states. We believe the United States were the first 
who made any vigorous attack upon them. In the spring of 1816, 
the British government sent Lord Exmouth to remonstrate with the 
Dey or Governor of Algiers against his piratical depredations. 

3. The dey released some Christian slaves, and promised to ab- 
stain from making any for the future. But not long after, the news 
reached England that some Italians, who were fishing for pearls at 
Bona, had been carried off for slaves. This want of faith highly 
incensed the people of England, and Lord Exmouth was sent out 
with a squadron to compel the Algerines to perform their promises. 

4. It is usual for commercial nations to keep a representative, called 
a consul, in each of the principal foreign ports. It is the duty of the 
consul to protect the rights of the people whom he represents. Lord 
Exmouth's first act was to send a vessel to bring away the British 
consul from Algiers. The dey, who had received information of the 
intentions of the English, had already put the consul in prison ; but 
his wife and daughter, disguising themselves, contrived to reach the 
British vessel. 

5. The consul's youngest child, a little infant, was, for better con- 
cealment, put into a basket, which one of the English sailors was to 
carry on board, as if it was only a bundle of clothes ; but the poor 
little baby began to cry, and thus betrayed itself to the Moors, who 
seized upon it. The poor mother passed many wretched hours in 
terrible uncertainty for the fate of her child ; but the dey had the 
humanity to send it to her the next morning, and thus her grief was 
changed to transport. 

6. On May 27th, 1816, Lord Exmouth with his fleet came in sight 

CCXIII - - 1. What of the state of Barbary ? 2. What expedition was Lord Exmouth 
"tent upon? 3. What led to the second expedition? 4. What of a consul? Relate tha 



416 HOWARD THE PHILANTHROPIST. 

of Algiers. He sent at once to demand of the dey, that ail Christian 
slaves should be set at liberty. Receiving no answer after having 
waited several hours, he began to fire upon the town. The batteries 
of the town returned a tremendous fire upon the ships. But this soon 
ceased ; for in a short space of time, the dey's magazines, shipping, 
and a large part of the town, were destroyed. 

7 The next morning the dey sent to inform Lord Exmouth that 
he would agree to the terms demanded ; and before noon most of the 
Christian slaves were released, and the English fleet in a few days 
sailed from Algiers. We must not forget to mention the efforts which 
were made during this reign to put an end to the traffic in Africans, 
carried on by the subjects of Christian countries, commonly called the 
slave-trade. 

8. The law forbidding British subjects to be concerned in it was 
passed during the short administration of Mr. Fox ; after a contest 
of several years with those interested in the continuance of the trade. 
That the measure was finally carried, is to be attributed to the per 
severing exertions of Mr. Wilberforce, seconded, out of parliament, 
by those of Mr. Clarkson, who devoted his whole life to the cause. 

9. Neither must we forget to mention the efforts of John Howard, 
another friend of humanity, who devoted his time to the amelioration 
of the condition of persons confined in prisons and jails. He visited 
all the jails in England, and made known their condition to the public, 
which, with scarcely an exception, was horrible; thus securing the 
adoption of measures for its improvement. He then passed over to 
the continent, and made several journeys to the different countries, 
visiting the prisons and the hospitals. 

10. In 1789, he published an account of these institutions, and 
made known his intention of visiting Russia and Turkey, and the 
countries of Asia, on the same benevolent errand. A little before he 
left England, when a friend expressed his concern at parting with 
him, he cheerfully replied, " We shall soon meet in heaven ;" and as 
he knew the risk he incurred of dying of the plague in Egypt, he 
added, " The way to heaven from Cairo is as near as from London." 
This good man did fall a victim to his humanity ; for, in visiting a 
sick prisoner at Cherson, in Russia, he caught a malignant fever, and 
died January 20, 1790. 



CHAPTER CCXIV. 



Death of George III. — The Authors who flourished in the 
latter part of his Reign. 

1. During the last nine years of his life, George III. was in a melan- 
choly state of blindness, deafness, and mental incapacity, which waa 

particulars of Lord Exmouth's conduct at Algiers. 7. What of the African slave trade? 
«) What of Howard ? 10. Where did he,die? 



.^. DEATH OF GEORGE III. — 1S20. 417 

ended by his death, January 29th, 1820. He was in the eighty 
second year of his age, and the sixtieth of his reign. He continuec 
his active habits till within a few days of his death; and, notwith 
standing his want of sight, he constantly dressed himself withoul 
assistance. At last, the powers of life seemed quite worn out, and he 
died without any apparent suffering. 

2. George III. not only reigned the longest, but also lived to a 
greater age than any other English monarch. Before closing oui 
account of this long and eventful reign, we will mention some of the 
men of letters who gained distinction during the latter part of it. 
We shall not attempt to give an idea of their respective styles or 
merits ; for this we must refer the reader to critical works, or, what 
is better, the productions of these authors themselves. We can do 
little more than mention names and dates, so as to indicate when those 
authors lived whose names are so constantly occurring in books and 
conversation. 

3. About the time of the French Revolution, as great a change 
took place in the style in which ideas were presented to the public, as 
in that in which the body was arrayed. In the preceding period, it 
appears to have been impossible for the writers to shake off the for- 
mality and precision which accompanied full-bottomed wigs and hoop- 
petticoats. The old Greek and Roman heroes and sages seemed to 
wear the wigs and brocades, and the stately manners of George II. s 
reign. But now more natural and easy fashions prevailed, and 
writers adopted language and a style suitable to the objects and times 
to be represented. 

4. A collection of old ballads, published in 1755, by Bishop Per- 
cy, familiarly known as Percy's Reliques, was the immediate means 
of exciting a taste for simple and unaffected poetry. The change in 
style was gradual, for authors are very reluctant to acknowledge 
that any manner can be better than the one which they have adopted. 
It was not, therefore, till a new generation of authors should appear, 
educated amid the influence of the improved public taste, that a very 
decided change was to be expected. Among the first to throw off the 
trammels, was William Cowper, who seems to have been hardly con- 
scious of his poetical talent till he was fifty years old, at which age, 
in 1782, he published the Table Talk, and, two years afterwards, The 
Task. 

5. Cowper expresses, in unaffected language, his own feelings, 
which were deeply tinged with melancholy, a trait of character which 
we should hardly expect in the author of the humorous ballad of John 
Gilpin. George Crabbe, a country clergyman, who was born in 
1754, wrote some natural and pleasing sketches, in verse, of rural 
life. The first poems of the Scottish peasant, Robert Burns, were 
published in 1786. He was then twenty-seven years old. His beau- 
tiful songs soon acquired for him a reputation, not only in England, 
but also in foreign lands. 

CCXIV. — 1. When did George III. die ? What was the length of his reign ? What 
his age? 3. What change in the style of writing? 4. What publication led in a chanso 
ill the public taste ? What of William Cowper ? 5. What ol Crabbe ? W hat ol Burns ! 

27 



4 IS DISTINGUISHED AUTHORS OF THE TIMK. 

6. In the same year, Samuel Rogers, a London bankei, published 
his first volume of poems, which were followed, in 1792, by The 
Pleasures of Memory, the poem by which he is best known. The 
poets of the preceding- reign had a strong similarity in their style, 
because it was formed upon the received model, Pope. But Cow- 
per, Crabbe, Burns, and Rogers, are very different from each other, 
and William Wordsworth, born in 1770, adopted yet another and a 
peculiar style. He sought to express, in common language, the or- 
dinary incidents of life, conveying, however, a deep and touching 
moral and meaning. 

7. Samuel Taylor Coleridge, a man of genius, but too much in- 
clined to metaphysical studies to be popular, was born in 1773, and 
began to publish verses in 1794. The struggle for liberty, first in 
America, and afterwards in France, the breaking up of customs and 
institutions which had held the human mind in bondage for so many 
centuries, could not fail to excite young men of genius. Wordsworth 
and Coleridge were stirred by the exciting events of the day, as was 
Robert Southey, a poet of the first rank, born in 1774. 

8. Southey was at first an enthusiastic admirer of the French 
Revolution, and an advocate for the utmost liberty and equality among 
men. ]n his twenty-first year he published a poem, the heroine of 
which was Joan of Arc, the Maid of Orleans, whose history we have 
briefly noticed. He proposed to carry his notions into practice, by 
establishing, in connection with Coleridge and a Mr. Lovell, a philo- 
sophical government on the banks of the Susquehannah, in Pennsyl- 
vania. But the scheme was broken up by the marriage of the three 
young enthusiasts with three sisters, who, we suppose, were not so 
ready to sacrifice real comforts for ideal advantages. In later life, 
Southey was a stanch friend of church and state, in England, and 
became poet laureate under George III. 

9. The next of the great modern poets is Thomas Campbell, born 
in Scotland, in 1777. His Pleasures of Hope was published in 1799 
Every one is familiar with his poetry, for his shorter pieces are to 
be found in all the " readers" and " class-books." Next, comes Sir 
Walter Scott, whose delightful tales have entertained and instructed 
many grand-children, besides Master Ilugh Littlejohn. It was as a 
poet that he first gained a reputation. He was born in Scotland, in 
1771. The Lay of the Last Minstrel, his first long original poem, 
was published in 1805. This, and the other poems which succeeded 
it, were received with an avidity hitherto unexampled. 

10. He maintained his place as the most popular poet till he was 
supplanted in public favor by Lord Byron, born in 1788, who, in 
1812, published the first part of Childe Harold's Pilgrimage. Find- 
ing himself eclipsed in public favor, Sir Walter abandoned poetry, 
and devoted himself to another species of composition. In 1814, a 
novel, called Waverly, made its appearance. The name of the au- 
thor was carefully concealed. Other novels, by the " author of Wa- 
verly," followed in rapid succession, and placed the ".Great Un- 

6. What of Rosers? What of the style of those poets? What of Wordsworth? 

7. What of Coleridge? What of Southey? What project did he form? 9. What o. 
Campbell? What of Scott ? Who supplanted Scott in public favor as a poet? 10. Wha 



DISTINGUISHED AUTHORS OF THE TIME. 



419 



known," as this author was familiarly called, far above all writers of 
prose fiction, and in the rank with Shakspeare, Milton, and the 
great masters in literature. 

11. We can hadly conceive the interest with which the question 
of authorship was discussed, or the enthusiasm with which the works 
themselves were received. The battle of Waterloo, upon the result 
of which depended the fate of empires, hardly excited more interest, 
than the announcement of a new novel by the author of Waverly. 
Public opinion soon fixed on Scott as the author, but it was not till 
1827 that he publicly acknowledged it. 

12. We must now go back a little to speak of a few novel-writers 
of an earlier date. In 1777, Miss Burney, afterwards Madame 
D'Arblay, published Evelina. She was then but ahout twenty years 
old, and she had carefully concealed from every person, even her 
parents, that she was writing a book. It was received with great 
favor by the public, and, as the author's name was not given, all 
were eager to know who it could be. The parents of Miss Burney 
were not less pleased and curious than the rest of the world ; and 
we may well suppose the author never enjoyed a happier moment, 
than when she told them that the work which everybody was prais- 
ing, ind which had afforded them so much pleasure, was the produc- 
tion >f their own youthful daughter. 




Hannah More. 
13. Mrs. Radcliffe, who wrote romances, abounding in terrors, 
was born in 1764, and published her first book in 1789. Miss Edge- 
worth, Mrs. Opie, Mrs. Barbauld, and Miss Hannah More, flourished 
during the period of which we are now speaking. Hitherto we have 
only noticed authors of works of imagination. There were no his- 

rtew form of composition did Scott appear in? With what 8uccess7 11. What o< 



420 FAMILY OF GEORGE IIP. 

torical works of so much brilliancy and polish as those produced in 
the preceding period, but many which exceed them in accuracy. Jr. 
1784 Adam Fero-usson published a History oj the Roman Republic. 

U In 1780, Adam Gillies published The History of Greece, a 
work long esteemed, but now superseded by Mr. Mitford's history. 
William Roscoe, a lawyer, and afterwards a banker, published in 
1795, the Life of Lorenzo de Medici, and in 1805, a Life oj 1 ope 
Leo X The other distinguished historians of this period, are Sharon 
Turner to whom we are indebted for many stories of the Anglo- 
Saxon times ; John Lingard, a Catholic priest, who has written a his- 
tory of England, which is adopted as the standard history among 
Catholics ; Henry Hallam, and Charles James Fox, the distinguished 

15. This period was particularly rich in voyages and travels. Peri- 
odical literature also made a great advance in merit. In 1802, a few 
young men, just out of the University of Edinburgh, established the 
Edinburgh Review, whose pages exhibited so much talent as soon to 
throw alt other works of the kind quite into the shade. The writers 
were all whi°-s, and advocated liberal principles. To counteract its 
influence, the'tories, in 1809, commenced the publication, in London, 
of a similar work, by the title of the Quarterly Review. These works 
still maintain their place at the head of this department of literature. 

FAMILY OF GEORGE III. 

WIFE. 

Charlotte, Princess of Mechlenburg Strelitz. 

CHILDREN. 

George, Prince of Wales, afterwards George IV. _ 

Frederick. Duke of York, died January 5th, 1827, leaving no children. 

William Henry, Duke of Clarence, afterwards William IV. 

Charlotte Augusta, married the Duke of Wirtemberg. 

Edward, Duke of Kent, died January 23d, 1820. # 

Augusta Sophia, died September 22d, 1840, unmarried. 

Elizabeth, married the Prince of Hesse-Homburg. 

Earnest Augustus, Duke of Cumberland, now King of Hanover. 

Augustus Frederick, Duke of Sussex. 

Adolphus Frederick, Duke of Cambridge. 

Mary, married her cousin, the Duke oi Gloucester. 

Sophia. 

Octavius, died in 1783. 

Alfred, died in 1782. 

Amelia, died in 1810. 

GRANDCHILDREN. 
Alexandria Victoria, daughter of the Duke of Kent, and now queen, born May 

24th, 1819. 
George Frederick, son of the King of Hanover. 
George William, son of the Duke of Cambridge. 
Augusta, daughter of the Duke of Cambridge. 



Miss Burney? 13. What other novelists nourished at this period? What historians 
are mentioned ? 15. What of periodical literature? 



GEOKGE IV. — 1820. 



421 



CHAPTER CCXV. 

George IV. — His Character, Person, Education and Habits. 
— Mrs. Fitzherbert ; new Marriage Act. — The Marriage 
of the Prince to Caroline of Brunswick. — His singular 
Conduct and Change in his Mode of Life. — The great Dis- 
contents which prevailed during the last Years of his Re- 
gency. 




George IV. 

1. George TV. was fifty-eight years of age when he succeeded 
his father. Nature had given him warm feelings, more than ordinary 
abilities, and not a bad heart. He often, in the course of his life, 
performed kind actions ; but he also allowed himself to be easily 
offended, and when he was, he seldom forgave. His mind was cul- 
tivated, his manners graceful and dignified ; and he could assume, 
when he chose, an urbanity quite irresistible. He was of a fair com- 
plexion, and, in his youth, had a fine face and person. 

2. The king, his father, had often felt and lamented the disadvan- 
tages of his own limited education, and was anxious that his son 
should have nothing to regret on that score. Very able men were 
appointed to be his preceptors. It has been said that these, in their 
great zeal to fulfil their duty, did not sufficiently study the temper 
and character of their royal pupil, nor the peculiar circumstances in 
which he was placed, and that they subjected him to too much re- 
straint. 

3. On being emancipated from his pupilage, he surrounded himself 



CCXV. — 1. How old was George IV. when he succeeded to the throne? What is 
aiu of his character? 3. Whom did he take for his model, when a young man 
36 



422 CHARACTER AND HABITS OF GEORGE IV. 

with gay companions, and launched into an excess of folly and extrav- 
agance. It was said, by way of apology, that the young prince had 
chosen Henry V. for his model, and that he meant only to divert him- 
self a while, and that, when the time should come for assuming a more 
elevated character, he, too, would cast away his follies, and rise supe- 
rior to his former self. 

4. But, unfortunately, this time was so. long in coming, that he 
at last became confirmed in frivolity and dissipation, setting at nought 
good precepts, good example, and even good report. He is said to 
have declared to a friend, a short time before his death, that he found 
too late that he had made a fatal mistake ; and that, were his life to 
come over again, he would aim at something better than being a man 
of pleasure. 

5. When the prince was about twenty-two, he became attached 
to Mrs. Fitzherbert, a lady many years older than himself, but of 
great beauty and agreeableness. It was rumored that the prince had 
privately married her. The marriage would not have been binding, 
because, by a law made in the early part of George III.'s reign, all 
marriages entered into by members of the royal family, without the 
written consent of the sovereign, were declared to be void. 

6. This law was made in consequence of the king's two brothers 
having followed their inclinations, and married agreeable English 
ladies, in preference to foreign princesses, with whom, for reasons of 
state, George III. would have been better pleased. The report, how- 
ever, of the Prince of Wales' marriage caused great agitation 
throughout the kingdom, and became a matter of discussion in par- 
liament. Mr. Fox, then one of the prince's friends, by his authority 
denied the marriage, calling the report " a monstrous calumny." 

7. At this time, and for some years afterwards, the personal ex- 
penses of the prince were enormous, and far exceeded his allowance ; 
so that, in 1794, his debts amounted to little less than three and a half 
millions of dollars. His thoughtless extravagance brought upon him, 
in spite of his otherwise popular qualities, the contempt of the public, 
and the serious displeasure of his father, who, however, in the hope 
that his character would be benefited by his forming new ties, prom- 
ised him that his debts should be paid if he would marry such a per- 
son as should be selected for him. 

8. The prince reluctantly consented, and, in 1795, married his 
cousin, the Princess Caroline, of Brunswick. This union, as might 
have been expected under such circumstances, was not a happy one, 
and, after the birth of one child, the Princess Charlotte, a separation 
took place. The wife of the prince for some time led a very secluded 
life, shut out from court by the personal dislike of Queen Charlotte ; 
but the king continued to show her unvaried kindness, until, by his 
insanity, she lost her best, and almost only friend. 

9. From the time of his marriage, the prince withdrew himself 
almost wholly from public affairs, until they were forced on him by 
his being made regent in 1810. We have already related the prin- 

5 What is the law of England with regard to the marriage of members of the royal 
family? 7. What of the prince's habits of expense ? What did his father propose to 
him? S. Whom did he marry? 9. What of the state of public feeling, after the close 



THE CATO STREET CONSPIRACY. - 1S20. 423 

cipal events which happened while he was regent. During the first 
half of this period, the public attention was absorbed by the great 
conflict going on upon the continent. When the national exultation 
for the great victory of Waterloo had subsided, the people began to 
feel the pressure of the taxes which the long wars had rendered neces- 
sary. 

10. The English manufacturers had been able to carry on their 
business during the war, and with great success, because the people 
of the continent, being directly exposed to the ravages of war, had 
been obliged to give up all peaceful occupations. When quiet was 
restored on the continent, the people of the different countries were 
able to return to their former employments ; and as the great mass 
had gained very much in intelligence since the commencement of the 
French Revolution, they were better able to compete with the skilful 
mechanics of England. 

11. In consequence of this, there was a great falling off in the 
business of the manufacturers, and much distress among the work- 
people, who were thrown out of employment. Discontents prevailed, 
therefore, in all parts of the country. In 1816, a plot was formed in 
London to overthrow the government, and correspondence was had 
with people in other parts of the country. The government adopted 
prompt measures. The habeas corpus act was suspended, many per- 
sons were arrested, and two or three tried and executed. 

12. Thus the spirit of discontent was stifled for a time, but broke 
out again in the manufacturing districts in 1819. In August, a mob 
of not less than 80,000 persons collected at Manchester, which is the 
chief seat of the cotton manufactures. The troops were called out to 
disperse it, and many persons were killed and wounded. This had 
the effect of quelling the tendency to riots for the time. 

. 13. In the spring of the following year, government received in 
formation that certain persons, who were in the habit of meeting at a 
stable in Cato street, in London, had formed a plot to destroy all the 
ministers, and had appointed the next day for its execution, it being 
known that the ministers would on that dav dine tog-ether at the house 
of one of the number. The conspirators were immediately arrested, 
and their guilt being proved, were executed. 

of the war? 10. What took place in 1816 ? 11. What in 1S19? 12. What of the Cata 
street conspiracy ? 



424 



RETURN OF QUEEN CAROLINE. — 1820. 



CHAPTER CCXVI. 




The Queen returns to England. — Received with 'Enthusiasm 
by the People. — The King refuses to acknowledge her as 
Queen. — He seeks to deprive her of her Rights by Law, but 
is disappointed. 




Trial of Queen Caroline. 

1. The two questions which, at the period of the king's accession, 
were looked to with the most eagerness by the public, were, first, 
whether he would appoint his early friends, the whigs, to office ; and 
secondly, what his conduct would be towards the queen. Almost all 
his personal friends were of the whig party, and yet, when he was 
made regent, he had appointed none of them to office. 

2. It was thought probable that he might have been prevented by 
filial respect from displacing those in whom his father had confi- 
dence, and that, when he became sovereign, in his own right, he 
would appoint those to office who would act in accordance with the 
principles which he had himself professed, so long as he took any 
active part in politics. All those, however, who looked for such a 
course on his part, were disappointed ; the tory ministers kept their 
places. 

3. The affair of the queen was not so speedily settled. This un 
fortunate princess had left England in 1814, and at the time of 
George III.'s death was residing in Italy. When the news of that 
event reached her, she immediately resolved to return to England, 
and assert the rights of her station. The king, whose dislike to her, 
instead of being softened by time and absence, was only increased, 



CCXVI. — 1. What questions were agitated at George IV. 's accession? 2. How was 
the first settled 1 3. What of the second 1 Relate the story of the queen till her arrival 



HEK RECEPTION BY THE KING AND PEOPLE. 425 

did all in his power to prevail on her to remain abroad, and offered her 
an increase of income, if she would not return nor assume the title of 
queen. 

4. This offer was indignantly rejected. She landed at Dover, June 
5lh, 1820. She was met at her landing by multitudes, dressed in 
their holiday clothes, who all seemed determined, partly out of sym- 
pathy for her, and partly, it may be, to show their dislike to the king, 
to make up, as far as lay in their power, for the neglect and insults he 
had shown her; for he not only refused to receive her as queen, but 
had even ordered that she should not be prayed for in the churches. 

5. At every place to which she came in her journey to London, the 
inhabitants poured out to meet her. As she approached the city, the 
crowd became altogether immense, and escorted her in procession to 
the house where, for the time, she took up her abode, the use of the 
palace, usually assigned to the queen, having been refused her. She 
now became an object of general interest and commiseration, not only 
to the populace, but also to many very wise and good people in the 
higher ranks, who took her part from real feeling. 

6. She had great good-nature, and was open and affable, and so 
devoid of pride and stateliness, that all who approached her were won 
by her condescension. The multitude saw in her not only a princess 
unjustly deprived of the rightful privileges of her rank, but also a 
woman unfairly cast off by her husband, and whom that husband had 
shown, on many occasions, a cruel desire to stigmatize, in the hope 
of finding a pretext for getting rid of the shackles that still bound him 
to her. 

7. They would not suffer themselves to believe the fact, that she 
had, in a great degree, brought this treatment on herself. Even in 
the commencement of her married life she had used no gentle means, 
none of those soft words that turn away anger, to win the prince's 
affections. To resent her injuries, and to vindicate her rights, had 
been the constant tenor of all her subsequent communications to him. 
Her provocations had, indeed, been great, but her conduct under them 
had been violent and unconciliating. 

8. The manner in which the queen was received by the people only 
tended to increase the king's bitterness against her. With an eager- 
ness almost malignant, he caught at various rumors of her ill conduct 
while abroad. By his direction, a bill was brought into parliament, to 
deprive her of the rights and title of queen, and to dissolve the mar- 
riage between her and himself. 

9. An investigation was made as to her conduct, and many wit- 
nesses were examined both for and against her, but nothing was 
proved, except that she had indulged in an improper freedom of man- 
ners. The bill was, therefore, abandoned, to the disgrace of the min- 
isters who had been instrumental in bringing it forward, and to the 
extreme mortification of the king, thus baffled in the point for which 
he had so much labored, and which was the most earnest wish of his 
heart. 

in London. 5, 6. 7. How was she received and considered in England? 8. What oiJ 
'.he king do ? 9. What was his success ? 

36* 



426 CORONATION OF GEORGE IV. — 1821. 

CHAPTER CCXVII. 

Coronation of George IV. — The Queen dies of a broken Heart. 

1. George IV. was very fond of display, and he determined that 
his coronation should be attended with unexampled magnificence. 
The ceremony took place July 19th, 1821, in Westminster Abbey, 
which, as well as the adjoining hall, had been fitted up with the 
greatest splendor. As soon as it was light in the morning of that 
day, all the avenues to the Abbey were crowded with ladies and gen- 
tlemen in full dress, who were hastening to take their places in the 
galleries fitted up for spectators. 

2. At six o'clock most of the royal family had arrived. The king 
himself entered the Abbey at about ten, and the whole ceremony was 
not over till eight in the evening. The coronation itself was followed 
by a grand banquet in the hall. When the king was seated, three 
noblemen, each in virtue of the office he held in the king's household, 
rode on horseback into the hall, and waited there while the pages 
placed the dishes on the royal table. 

3. They then retired , backing their horses out of the hall — a piece 
of difficult horsemanship, but which their well-trained chargers per- 
formed admirably. The spectators were scarcely recovered from the 
excitement of this exhibition, when the sound of trumpets gave the 
signal of a new approach ; and a horseman, clad in full armor like the 
knights of old, rode into the hall. This was the king's champion. 

4. He was preceded by an officer called a herald, arrayed in his 
tabard, an outer garment of velvet, upon which the king's arms are 
richly embroidered in gold. In old times, this officer was one of con- 
siderable consequence, but his chief duties at present are to keep the 
records of the genealogy of noble families, to read the proclamations 
of the king, and to bear a part in public ceremonies, such as corona- 
tions, royal funerals, &c. 

5. The duty of the herald, on the present occasion, was to read the 
challenge of the champion, defying to single combat any who dared to 
dispute the king's title to the throne. The champion then threw down 
his gauntlet, or iron glove, which was given to him again ; and this 
ceremony of reading the challenge, and throwing down the gauntlet, 
was repeated three times. 

6. If any person had been disposed to dispute the king's title, he 
could have signified his acceptance of the challenge, by taking up the 
gauntlet. But no one did this on the present occasion, so, having 
drank the king's health from a gold cup, which he retained as his 
guerdon, or fee, he backed his horse out of the hall. 

7. This custom had its origin in times when it was usual to submit 
the decision of disputed questions to trials by combat. It is now an 
unmeaning ceremony, and has been dispensed with at coronations 

CCXVII. — 1 In what did George IV. indulge his taste for display? Give an account 
cf the coronation. 3 ; 4, 5, 6. What of th» champion? Who delivered the challenge? 



DEATH OF QUEEN CAROLINE. — 1321. -427 

since that of George IV. Though everything about him was as mag- 
nificent as his heart could desire, yet the king must have been far 
from receiving any real satisfaction from the display. 

8. In the first place, the expenditure of the enormous sum of nearly 
a million and a half of dollars upon a mere ceremony, when the peo 
pie were loaded with taxes, and in many parts of the kingdom were 
actually suffering for want of food, gave occasion for loud complaints. 
But the king's greatest vexation was occasioned by the queen. She 
had demanded to be crowned at the same time with himself; but this 
was refused, as was also her demand to be present on that occasion. 

9. She declared that she would be there in spite of this refusal. It 
was generally supposed that this was a mere threat, and that she 
would not so far forget her dignity as to force herself into the king's 
presence at such a time, and in such a place. Yet this was her real 
determination ; and, on the morning of the coronation, she wen,t to the 
Abbey at an early hour, and demanded to enter ; but being refused 
admittance at all the avenues, she was obliged to retire. 

10. Upon this, her partisans set up loud and discordant cries, 
which were heard by those in the Abbey, and caused an alarm lest 
the ceremony should be interrupted by some popular outrage ; but the 
populace contented themselves with breaking some of the ministers' 
windows. The poor queen returned in sadness to her residence. 
This last mortification had broken her heart. Her health declined 
from that day, and she died on the 7th of August. 

11. She left directions that her body should be taken to Bruns- 
wick, in Germany, for interment, and that the inscription on her coffin 
should be — "Here lies Caroline, of Brunswick, the injured Queen 
of England." The animosity of the king was not appeased by the 
death of his victim. Her body, instead of being treated with the hon- 
ors appropriate to her rank, was subjected to insult. 

12. The procession, which attended it on the way to Harwich, 
where it was to be embarked for the continent, was ordered not to 
pass through the city of London. But the populace were resolved 
that it should pass through the city, and at last, by tearing up the 
pavements, placing trees across the roads, and otherwise obstructing 
them, and after a series of conflicts, in which two persons lost their 
lives, they effected their purpose. Thus was this most solemn of 
spectacles turned into a scene of uproar ; and it seemed as if even 
death could not give peace to the unconscious remains of this unfortu- 
nate woman. 



What of heralds? .8. What impaired the king's satisfaction? 9. Relate the remaining 
n vents of the queen's life. What happened at her funeral? 



428 THE KING VISITS IKELAND AND SCOTLAND. 



CHAPTER CCXV1II. 

The King visits Ireland and Scotland. — Description of a 
Highlander's Dress. 

1. The king- did not display the hypocrisy of grieving at an event 
which removed a thorn that had long festered in his heart. He did 
not even regard the common requisitions of decorum ; and, while the 
queen lay yet unburied, he set off for Dublin, the chief city of Ire- 
land, where he was received by the lively inhabitants with a glow 
of joy, which must have been quite grateful to him after the unpopu- 
larity to which he had been accustomed at home. 

2. After spending a month in Ireland, he returned to England, and 
on the 20th of September he embarked for Hanover. Here the cere- 
mony of coronation, as King of Hanover, was performed, amidst the 
most brilliant festivals. The next year he visited Scotland. Here, 
too, nothing could exceed the apparent joyousness of his reception. 
No king- had visited Scotland since Charles II. "s unhappy sojourn 
there in 1650 ; and it seemed as if the Scots were trying to make 
amends to George IV. for the mortifications his predecessor had un- 
dergone. 

3. The king himself, also, by the grace and graciousness of his 
manners, and his evident solicitifde to please, showed himself desirous 
to win the good will of his subjects, flattering, on all occasions, the 
self-love of the people he visited, by adopting some of their national 
and popular customs. In Ireland, he drank healths in Irish whiskey. 
At Hanover, he spoke German ; and in Edinburgh he appeared in 
the full costume of a Highland chief, wearing the Stuart tartan, or 
•plaid. 

4. Each of the principal clans, or families, in Scotland, was distin- 
guished by the color and arrangement of the stripes in the tartan, and 
until the rising in 1745, there had been little change in the fashion of 
a Highlander's dress since the time of the Roman invasion of the 
island. In 1745, among other expedients adopted by government to 
break up the attachment of the clansmen to their chief, was that of 
forbidding them to wear their ancient dress. 

5. Though well suited to the habits of the Highlanders as they 
were then, it was ill adapted to agricultural and other peaceful pur- 
suits which the government hoped to introduce. They wore no 
breeches, but a short petticoat of striped woollen cloth, called tartan, 
reaching from the waist to the knee ; this was the ■phillabeg ; theii 
stockings, generally of the same tartan, were usually gartered be- 
low the knee, which was left bare to allow more freedom in run- 
ning. 

CCXVIII. — 1. What of the conduct of the king after the queen's death? What excur- 
sion did he set out upon? How received in Ireland? 2. What other visits did he make? 
3. How did the king seek to gain popularity ? In what dress did he appear in Scotland? 
5. Describe the dress of a Highlander. 



PROJECTS AND SPECULATIONS. — 1824. 429 

6. The body was clothed in a short close jacket, and over this was 
thrown, in graceful folds, a roll of light tartan, called the plaid, which 
generally was six yards in length, and two in breadth, and coming 
closely round the right side, was usually fastened on, and thrown back 
over the left shoulder, leaving the right arm at perfect liberty. The 
weaving, dyeing, and preparing the tartan stuffs, formed the principal 
employment of the females of each clan. 

7. On the head was worn a dark blue bonnet, made of light woollen 
cloth, in which a sprig of heather was often placed ; or an eagle's 
feather, if the wearer were a gentleman of rank ; or two feathers, if 
he were a chief. In front of the phillabeg, was the sporran, or purse, 
by the right side of which hung the dirk. On the o-ther side was the 
claymore, a basket-hilted broad-sword. 

8. Imagine an iron musket, slung to the back, and a round target, 
or shield, covered with tough hide, and having a long iron spike firmly 
screwed into the centre, on the left arm, and you have a Highlander 
in complete costume. As the occasion of his visit was peaceful, 
George IV. omitted the warlike part of the equipment. The rage for 
the tartan spread through the kingdom ; and the brilliant colors and 
stripes of the Stuart, imitated in silks and velvets, figured on the 
backs of good London dames, who would have trembled at the bare 
idea of meeting a real living Highlander. 



CHAPTER CCXIX. 

A Year of Projects results in much Distress. — The Coinage 

of England. 

1. The year 1824 was a year of projects and speculations, some 
of which might remind us of the philosophers of Laputa in Gulliver's 
Travels. There were companies for supplying London with milk 
and with fish, and others for washing all the dirty clothes of the city. 
There was an association for cutting a canal through the Isthmus of 
Darien, and projects for rail-roads without number. The greater 
portion of these schemes came to nothing, and the latter part of the* 
year 1825 was marked by disappointed speculations and gener? 
distress. 

2. The Bank of England itself was on the very point of suspending 
its payments, and was reduced almost to its last sovereign, as the gold 
coin of the value of a pound sterling is called, and which has taken 
the place of the " golden guinea," of which we so often read ; a coin, 
by the way, no longer in circulation. When Caesar landed in the 
island, bits of brass and iron, and iron rings of a fixed weight, were 
the only money used by the Britons. 

3. Within a century from this time, money, in imitation of that of 
the Romans, was coined there. The coins of Cunobeline, a British 

CCIX. — I. For what was Uie year 1321 distinguished ? 2. What was used for money 



430 THE COINAGE OF ENGLAND. 

Icing, who was contemporary with the Roman emperor, Tiberias, ana 
who died A. D. 37, are to be found in some collections ; but they are 
so rare and valuable, that no collector has yet been disinterested enougn 
to sacrifice one of them for the sake of ascertaining the proportions of 
silver or of alloy which they contain. 

4. Alloy is a certain quantity of some harder and baser metal, which 
must be mixed with gold and silver, to give the coin sufficient firmness 
to take a strong impression, and to resist the wear of circulation ; gold 
and silver being of too soft a nature. It is also found necessary that 
the coin should be of somewhat less than its nominal value, to prevent 
its being melted down and sold as bullion, whenever bullion, from any 
cause, is much in demand. 

5. Bullion is the general name for the precious metals, that is, for 
gold and silver. The first money that can properly be called English 
was coined in the seventh century, by Ethelbert, King of Kent. 
It was called a penny, from the Latin word pendo, which signifies 
to iceigh, and contained as much silver as equalled twenty grains of 
wheat, taken from the middle of the ear ; and this is the origin of the 
weight called a grain, which is neither more nor less than a grain of 
wheat. 

6. The coins of Ethelbert were marked with a cross, as a symbol 
of Christianity ; a practice which was continued till the time of the 
Commonwealth, when it was left off. In imitation of the Romans, 
the superscription on the coins was in Latin. This practice, also, 
was left off during the time of the Commonwealth, but was resumed 
at the restoration. The Anglo-Saxons divided the silver penny into 
half-pence, a,ndfourthings, or farthings. 

7. The nominal money of the Anglo-Saxons was the pound, 
computed at 240 pence, the mark at 100 pence, and the schilling at 
three pence. It is hard to say what the value of the penny was, 
compared with money at the present time. Two pennies and a 
fourthing would, in the time of Edward the Confessor, buy a bushel 
of wheat, which, at the present day, costs nearly two dollars. The 
silver penny continued to be the principal currency for some time 
after the Conquest. 

8. Henry III. introduced groats, or great pennies, worth four 
pence each. He also coined the first English gold money of which 
we have any authentic account. It was called the gold penny, and 
was valued at twenty silver pennies. It was afterwards raised to 
twenty-four pence, and was callled a ryal, that is, royal. The 
people did not fancy this gold money, and it did not long continue in 
circulation. 

9 Gold coin was at this time very rare all over Europe, except 
what was coined by the Greek emperors at Constantinople, or Byzan- 
tium, as it was then called, and hence called Bezants, or Byzantine 
money. Afterwards a gold coin, called a florin, from the Latin word 
flos , flower , because it had a lily stamped on it, came into use on the 

in Britain when Caesar landed there? 3 What coin was used next? 4. What is 
alloy? 5. What is bullion? Whence the name penny? Whence the name fi,.^i.i ? 
Whence the nan*? farthings ? 7. What was the' nominal money of the Anglo-Sax jo* ? 
8. What coins did Henry in. introduce? 9. What of gold coins? Whence the mum 



THE COINAGE OF ENGLAND. 431 

continent; and Edward III. coined, in imitation of it, a florence, so 
called, because an artificer from the city of Florence, in Italy, was 
employed in the coinage. 

10. In 1346, he coined a gold piece called a noble, in commemora- 
tion, as is supposed, of a naval victory he gained over the French. 
On one side is represented the king standing in a ship. The work- 
manship of this coin is very neat, and they are now much esteemed 
by collectors for their beauty and their rarity. Henry VII. issued a 
gold coin called an angel, because it bore on one side the figure of 
an angel killing a dragon. The angel was calculated at eight 
shillings. 

11. Henry VIII. issued a magnificent gold coin called a sovereign ; 
having on one side a full length figure of the king seated on his 
throne, and on the other a double rose, for the houses of York and 
Lancaster. Henry VIII.'s coins were as large in proportion as his 
sleeves or his shoes ; but they diminished in value, though thev 
increased in size ; for he increased very much the quantity of alloy, 
and then required his subjects to take the debased coin at the value 
of pure coin. 

12. The coin continued debased till the reign of Elizabeth, though 
its quality was a little improved after Mary's marriage, benefited, as 
it is said, by the twenty-seven chests of silver from the New World, 
which Philip carried with him to England. Elizabeth called in all 
the base coin, and replaced it with good money at the public cost. 
This measure is said to have been advised by Burleigh, who said, 
"that a monarchy was only to be sustained by sound and solid 
courses." 



CHAPTER CCXX. 

The Coinage of England — continued. 

1. The coinage of Charles I. presents a greater variety than that 
of any other English sovereign, and a review of it may almost show 
us the changes of his fortune. In the early part of his reign, his coins 
were very beautiful, and his taste and skill in the fine arts may be 
observed in their designs. As his troubles increased, both the design 
and execution of his coins were less attended to, and many of those 
of the latter part of his reign are little more than pieces of silver cut 
to the proper weight, and stamped with some rude mark. 

2. On some of these coins is still to be seen the pattern of the cup 
and salver from which they were hastily cut. This money is called 
" siege money, " and " necessity money." There is some money of 
James II. which shows still stronger indications of a distressed fortune. 



florin? Whence thai of florence? 10. What coin did Henry VII. issue ? 11. What 
coin did Henry VIII. have executed? 12. What of the value of his coin ? What did 
Elizabeth do in regard to coin ? 



432 THE COINAGE OF ENGLAND. 

This money was coined in Ireland, not long before the battle of the 
Boyne. It was of copper, and was made to pass for shillings, although 
each piece was not really worth more than a half-penny. 

3. This money is called "gun money," because it was chiefly 
coined from old guns. It is said that, these failing, the kitchens of 
Dublin w r ere also made to contribute, and that many a cook was robbed 
of her saucepans for the royal mint, which is the name given to the 
establishment for coining. It is to be remarked to Charles' credit, 
that he never, in his greatest distress, resorted to the expedient of 
debasing the coin. 

4. The coins of the Commonwealth are remarkable for their 
clumsiness and want of taste. In spite of their ugliness, they are, 
however, valued for their rarity, having been called in at the restora- 
tion. Cromwell struck a very fine coinage with his own head upon 
it ; but this, we believe, was never circulated. Charles II. made a 
great alteration in the coinage, and the figure of Britannia, borne by 
the copper half-pennies, is said to be a representation of a court beauty, 
the Duchess of Richmond. 

5. The guinea made its first appearance in the reign of Charles II. 
It was so called because the gold which furnished the first coinage 
was principally brought from the coast of Guinea, in Africa. It might 
have been in allusion to this, that it bears the figure of an elephant on 
one side. It was originally worth twenty shillings, but in 1728 it 
was raised to the value of twenty-one shillings. 

6. The coinage of the last century was ill executed, the impressions 
soon wore away, and the shillings and sixpences were little better 
than flat bits of silver. The copper coin, too, was very bad, and not 
bad only, but very scarce ; and many trades-people issued, for their 
own convenience, both silver and copper tokens, which were by far 
the best looking money in circulation. In 1797, a new copper coinage 
appeared ; but many of these were soon melted down for the sake of 
the copper, which rose to a very high price. 

7. This was the year in which the Bank of England stopped pay 
ments in coin, and issued one-pound or twenty shilling notes. As 
there was no longer any demand for gold coins to circulate, they soon 
disappeared, and such a thing was rarely seen, except a stray guinea 
here and there. They were melted down and sent out of the country, 
or put away safely at home by those good, careful people, who feared 
an invasion by the French, that they might have a store against time 
of need. 

8. The bank notes had not, in themselves, any value, as gold and 
silver have : at least, no more value than any other pieces of paper of 
the same size ; their value was derived from the confidence which 
the people had that they would some day be redeemed with gold or 
silver. If the bank had been liable to pay gold or silver for them as 
soon as they were issued, then of course but a limited amount could 

CCXX. — 1. What of the coinage of Charles I. ? 3. What is gun-money 1 4. What 
of the Commonwealth's coin 1 What of Charles II. 's? 5. Whence the name guinea / 
6. What of the coins of the last century 1 8. What of bank notes ? 9. What is the 
value of a sovereign ? 



THE PRINCESS CHARLOTTE. 433 

have been issued, dependent upon the quantity of gold and silver it 
possessed. 

9. The notes in such case would always be worth as much as thev 
purported to be ; but when this restriction was removed, the notes 
were issued in excess, and lowered in value, so that at one time a 
guinea in gold was worth twenty-eight shillings in paper. In 1817, 
the currency (a general name for that which is current, or circulates 
as money) was again restored to a sound state ; although the bank 
did not resume payment, till some time afterwards. The guineas were 
called in, and sovereigns issued. This coin is worth twenty shillings, 
or, in our money, four dollars and eighty cents. 



CHAPTER CCXXI. 



The Princess Charlotte marries Leopold of Saxe-Coburg. - 
Her Death. — Lord Liverpool. — Catholic Emancipation 
and Reform. 

1. The king had one daughter born to him in 1796, who is known 
in history as the Princess Charlotte. Immediately after the allied 
armies had replaced Louis on the throne of France, in 1814, the 
Emperor of Russia and the King of Prussia, with the most distin- 
guished officers and generals who had served in the war, and attended 
by a host of young princes, who had little of worldly possessions, 
besides the uniforms upon their backs, visited England. To these the 
young heiress of the British empire could not fail to be an object of 
admiration. 

2. One among them attracted the attention of the princess by the 
elegance of his person and the grace of his manners. Leopold, a 
younger son of the Duke of Saxe-Coburg, a German prince, whose 
dominions contained about as many inhabitants as a good-sized city, 
naving offered his services to Napoleon, which were declined, had 
attached himself to the Emperor Alexander of Russia, in whose suite 
he now visited England, lie did not reject the proffered love of the 
princess, and although his rank by birth was not so high as to lead 
him to aspire to this honor, neither was it so low as to cause any 
objection on her father's part. 

3. The princess was restricted, in the choice of a husband, to a 
very narrow circle. State policy would not allow her to marrv a 
subject of England ; and a law made at the revolution forbade her 
marrying any person who was not of the Protestant faith in religion. 
Now this is professed only in Denmark, Norway, and Sweden, and 
a few of the small German states, of which number Saxe-Coburg 
happens to be one. The princess was married in 1816 , but she 
enjoyed only a short period of domestic happiness, for she died in 
1817, leaving no child. 

CCXXI. — 1. Had George IV. any children I Whom did the Princess Charlotte marrv 

28 



434 CATHOLIC EMANCIPATION. — REFORM. — 1S2S. 

4. Though Leopold was disappointed in his hopes of being husband 
of the Queen of England, he was yet born to be a king ; for, after 
declining the crown of the new kingdom of Greece, which was offered 
him in 1828, he accepted that of Belgium, another new kingdom, 
formed from a part of Holland, in 1830, and not long after, he married 
a daughter of the King of the French. But Leopold's connection 
with the royal family of England is still kept up by the marriage of 
his sister to the Duke of Kent, fourth son of George III. 

5. After the death of the Princess Charlotte, the Duke of York, 
second son of George III., became the heir presumptive to the throne. 
Mark the distinction between heir apparent and heir presumptive. 
The king's eldest son is an heir apparent, because nothing but his 
own death before that of his father can deprive him of the succession 
to the crown ; but if there be no son, some other relation of the king 
is heir to the crown. Such person is called the heir presumptive, 

'because his right may be defeated by the birth of a son. 

6. The Duke of York died in 1827, leaving no children, and 
William, Duke of Clarence, became heir presumptive to the crown. 
The king had always been fond of the Duke of York, and his death 
was a severe blow. It was followed by another, in the illness of the 
Earl of Liverpool, who had been prime minister ever since the murder 
of Mr. Perceval, in 1812. Though not a man of genius, he was 
laborious and persevering, and his integrity of character gave him 
great influence. 

7. He was succeeded by Mr. Canning, who died in a few months, 
and was succeeded by Lord Goderich, who was superseded, in 
January, 1828, by the Duke of Wellington. Two great questions 
agitated the public mind at this time, commonly called the questions 
of Catholic Emancipation and of Reform. In the reigns of Elizabeth 
and James I., very severe laws had been passed against the Catholics, 
and these had been followed by others of the same character in the 
subsequent reigns, in apprehension of a popish successor to the 
crown. 

8. The actual penalties inflicted by these laws had been repealed, 
but the disabilities for holding a seat in either house of parliament, 
and to admission to various offices, still remained. These were felt 
to be a very great grievance, especially in Ireland, where the Catho- 
lics far outnumbered the Protestants. At the union with Ireland 
in 1800, Mr. Pitt had promised the removal of these disabilities ; but 
George III. would never consent to the measure. 

9. The country was kept in a continued state of excitement by 
ihis question, and the contests between the friends and opponents of 
this measure were carried on with the greatest asperity. The bill 
for the repeal was repeatedly passed by the house of commons, and 
as often rejected by the lords, chiefly through the influence of the 
bishops of the church of England, who, by law, have seats and votes 
in that house. 

What of Leopold? 5. What is the difference between heir apparent and heir presump- 
tive? 6. What of Lord Liverpool ? 7. What questions agitated England ? What of 
the laws against Catholics? 9. What of the contest about Catholic emancipation 1 
10. What was the final result ? 



THE HOUSE OF COMMONS. 435 

10. At last the popular will became too strong to be despised, and 
the Duke of Wellington, taking the matter up as a government meas- 
ure, procured the passage of the bill through both houses. But it 
was not yet the law of the land, because, by the British constitution, 
no bill, though passed by both houses of parliament, is a law, unless 
it be approved by the king. The king's assent in the present case 
was given April 13, 1829. 



CHAPTER CCXXII. 

Reform in the House of Commons. — History of this Body. 

1. In the earliest times of English history of which we have any 
record, there were assemblies of the people to deliberate on matters 
of national interest ; but it was not till about 126G that the people 
were summoned by the king to appear by representations in the great 
council of the nation. The king had a two-fold object in view; he 
wished to raise up a power which should counterbalance the power 
of the great barons ; and he also wished to obtain supplies of money 
from the growing wealth of the people. 

2. There were three classes to be represented in this branch of 
the legislature. First, the large body of lesser barons, who held 
land of the king, by knight service, that is, upon condition of serving 
him in the field in time of war. These were too numerous and too 
poor to be all called to parliament and to rank with the great barons. 
They were therefore summoned to appear by two representatives 
from each county, or shire. The representatives of counties retain 
the appellation of knights of the shire to this day, though now chosen 
without reference to this qualification. 

3. In those days of timid navigation, the sea-ports nearest to the 
continent were deemed of great importance for the defence of the 
kingdom. Of the principal ports there were Jive, hence called cinque 
-ports — cinque being the French for five. These were bound to fur- 
nish fifty-seven vessels, each manned with twenty-one sailors. It is 
curious to contrast these ships of war with the mighty fabrics manned 
with 1000 men each, which now defend these coasts ! 

4. So important was this service deemed at that time, that the citi- 
zens held the rank of barons, and had two representatives in parlia- 
ment, still called barons of the cinque ports. Lastly, there were the 
towns, or boroughs, inhabited by the merchants and traders, who 
governed themselves by virtue of charters of the king, and were not 
subject to any great baron. The king summoned such of these as he 

CCXXII. — 1. What of assemblies of the people in old times? When were commons 
summoned to send representatives' 2. What three classes were to he represented .' 
What of the knights? 4. What of the cinque porta? 4. What of the boroughs? 



436 THE ROTTEN BOROUGH SYSTEM. 

pleased to send representatives, but he would naturally select the 
most important. 

5. The people of a borough are called burgesses, a name yet re- 
tained by this class of representatives in parliament. The house of 
commons possessed but little influence at that time, and it was very 
expensive living - at London, and not a little dangerous to travel 
through the country, so that it was considered a great hardship to 
serve as a member. Besides, the summons was a sure prelude to a 
demand for money. 

6 But when the house of commons became of consequence as a 
check upon the power of the king, it was necessary to restrict him in 
the right which he had at first enjoyed of summoning such places as 
he pleased, and to require him to issue summonses to all which had 
usually been summoned, and to no others. In the course of ages, 
great changes took place in the relative importance of places, and 
strange anomalies were the consequence. 

7. The great city of Manchester had no representation in parlia- 
ment, whilst perhaps a barren common, where the form of an election 
must be gone through with under a tree, because there was no 
house within the limits of the borough, gave its owner a right to send 
two. The right had originally been given to a certain extent of ter- 
ritory, chartered as a borough, and at the time populous ; but by a 
change in the course of trade, or some other cause, it had since been 
deserted by its inhabitants, but it still retained its right to send repre- 
sentatives. 

8. In rude times, the manufactures of iron, tin, &c, had made 
Cornwall comparatively very rich ; hence it contained within its limits 
a great number of boroughs ; but commerce, and the rise of more im- 
portant branches of manufacture, had rendered this district very poor 
as compared with others. These poor boroughs commonly known as 
rotten boroughs, were, for the most part, owned by rich noblemen, 
who appointed the representatives. 

9. These rotten boroughs, that is, the right to appoint members of 
the house of commons, were bought and sold just like any other 
piece of property. Thus the house of commons, instead of being, as 
it purported to be, a representation of the great body of the people, 
was, to a certain extent at least, a representation of the aristocracy, 
the very body whose power it was designed to check. It had long 
been the leading object with the liberal or whig party to bring about 
a reform in this matter. 

10. The friends of the measure had to contend in the house of 
commons against those who would lose their seats, and in the house 
of lords against those who would lose their property by the proposed 
change, which was to transfer the right of sending representatives 
from the rotten boroughs to those towns which were now not repre- 
sented at all, or very inadequately in proportion to their population 
and wealth. 

6. By what means did representation become unequal? 7, 8. What instances of ine- 
quality ? What of the rotten boroughs ? 10. With whom had the friends of reform to 
contend ? 



CHANGE IN THE HABITS OF GEORGE IV. 



437 



11. This had been the great question in dispute between the two 
parties for more than half a century. The clamors of the people for 
a reform had been growing louder and louder, and the efforts of its 
friends in parliament more constant and vigorous. It had now become 
evident that a reform must be made, but it did not take place during 
the reign of George IV. 



CHAPTER CCXXIII. 

Great Change in the Habits of George IV. — His Death. — 
Improvements in London during his Regency and Reign. 
- Use of Steamboats and Railways introduced. 




Pavilion on London Bridge. 

1. A love of seclusion had for some years been growing upon the 
kino - . He lived chiefly in what was called the Cottage, in Windsor 
Park, in the society of a few friends, his principal amusement being 
that of sailing about, or fishing, in a small lake called Virginia water, 
or in driving about the grounds attached to the castle in a pony car- 
riage. All solitary habits gain strength by indulgence, and at last he 
could not bear to be seen even by casual passers-by on the road. 



CCXXIII. 



1. Wh*t change iu George IV 



habits? 3. When did he die? Whai 



438 DEATH OF GEORGE IV. — 1330. 

2. Before he set out on his drives, persons were despatched on 
horseback to see that the road was clear, and if not, he would turn 
another way. To avoid, however, as much as possible, this neces- 
sity, his favorite drives were carefully planted with trees and shrubs, 
so as to be screened from the public eye. In the spring of 1830, his 
infirmities made retirement from public life less a matter of choice 
than -of necessity. The very slightest exertion became painful to 
him. 

3. It was evident to his physicians that he had not long to live, 
and this opinion was communicated to him. He received the intima- 
tion with firmness, and bore his sufferings with fortitude. He could 
not bear any mention of business, saying, " I have done with politics 
now.' 1 He expired on the 26th of June, 1830, in the 68th year of 
his age, having reigned ten years, but having governed the country 
nearly twenty years. 

4. George IV. 's love of display and magnificence sometimes led to 
good results. It was one immediate cause of very great improve- 
ments which took place in London under his government. A large 
tract of ground, containing about 450 acres, had been leased to indi- 
viduals ever since the reign of Charles II., and used for pasture- 
fields, with sheds for cattle, and a few mean buildings. 

5. When the leases expired, George, then regent, would not allow 
them to be renewed, but caused the lands to be laid out as a pleasure 
ground, with drives and walks, and to be planted with trees ; and on 
the sides of it were erected beautiful houses. It is called the Regent's 
Park. He also caused alterations to be made in the other royal parks 
in London, which added much to their beauty; for he possessed an 
excellent taste in such matters. 

6. His example gave an impulse to the spirit of improvement in 
his subjects, and narrow streets and mean houses gave place to wide 
avenues and elegant edifices. The brilliancy of the streets was very 
much increased by the introduction, about 1815, of gas-lights, in 
place of the old oil lamps. Other great improvements took place in 
Great Britain under the rule of George IV. Steamboats were intro- 
duced into general use. 

7. Experiments had been made at various times to devise some 
method for applying the power of steam to the movement of vessels. 
Robert Fulton, our own countryman, was the first who succeeded on 
a large scale, about the year 1807. The first steamboats were used 
in Great Britain in 1812. The first railway for purposes of general 
transportation was planned, and for the most part constructed, in the 
reign of George IV., though not opened till a few months after his 
death. 

8. As long ago as 1680, the coal miners at Newcastle had found 
it useful to lay down two parallel rows of timber, for the wheels of 
carriages, which bore the coals from the mines to the places where 
they were shipped to market, to run upon. From hence they were 
introduced into other mining districts, and the obvious improvement 

was his aee? How Inn? did he govern England? 4. What change took place in Lon 
tl-jn ? 6. When was g,ts introduced for lighting streets? 7. When was the first steam- 



WILLIAM IV. -1830. 439 

of substituting iron rails for the wooden timber was made. They 
were drawn by horses till 1824, when, steam engines were introduced 
to move the carriages on the railways at Newcastle. 

9. But the first railway established on a large scale was one be- 
tween Liverpool and Manchester ; the latter, the great centre of the 
cotton cloth manufacture, and the former the port at which the raw 
cotton is received from the United States, Brazil, and other countries 
where it grows, and from whence the manufactured cloth is shipped 
to all parts of the world. This railway was opened, Sept. 15th, 
1830, amid a great concourse of visitors and spectators. 

10. The Duke of Wellington, then prime minister, and a large 
number of distinguished noblemen and commoners, were present on 
the occasion, and went by the first train. But the scene was ren- 
dered very painful by the fatal accident which befell Mr. Huskisson, 
one of the most eminent statesmen of the country. He had got out 
of the carriage at the place where it stopped to take in a supply of 
water, and was standing and holding the door. Another engine pass- 
ing, struck the open door, and threw Mr. Huskisson under the wheel, 
which passed over his leg, and injured him so much as to cause his 
death in a few hours. 

11. Railways now traverse the country in various parts ; and one 
may be carried, in almost any direction from London, as far in one 
hour, as he could have been, a century and a half ago, in a whole 
day by the coaches, which, on account of their superiority in speed 
over all that had been known previously, were called " Flying 
coaches." 



CHAPTER CCXXIV. 

William IV. — The Reform Bill passes the House of Commons 
but is rejected by the Lords. — Great Riots in consequence. 
— The Cholera appears in England. 

1. William Henry, Duke of Clarence, third son of George III., 
was nearly sixty years old when he succeeded his brother, George 
TV., on the throne. He is said to have been a remarkably engaging 
child ; and he retained through life an open simplicity of disposition 
and manners. At the age of thirteen he was sent to sea ; and though 
he had no opportunity of distinguishing himself in any action of im- 
portance, he gave evidence that he was not wanting in courage. 

2. He entered the navy as a midshipman, and passed through the 
various grades of the service up to that of Lord High Admiral, or 
commander-in-chief, under the king, of all the naval forces of Great 
Britain. This office had not been held by any individual, with the 



bout used ia Great Britain ? 8. What of the use of railways at collieries ? 9. Betwee-i 
what places was the first railway on a large scale constructed? When was it opened ? 
10. What fatal accident happened? 
CCXXIV. — 1. What was William IV.'s age when he came to the throne ? Relate tho 



440 RIOTS IN ENGLAND. — 1831. 

exception of a single year, since 1708, when it was held by George, 
Prince of Denmark, husband of Queen Anne. In 1827, the office 
was revived for the heir to the throne ; and the manner in which he 
discharged its duties gained for him the affection of all ranks in the 
service. 

3. But he was very lavish in the expenditure of money, and upon 
receiving a remonstrance from the Duke of Wellington in respect to 
this, he resigned the office, after having held it about a year. It 
might have been expected that the Duke of Wellington's conduct on 
this occasion would have caused some coldness towards him from 
the new monarch ; but the king was incapable of maintaining such a 
feeling. 

4. At the first meeting of the council he made known to the duke 
his entire approval of his conduct and principles. But whatever 
might be king's private wishes, he could not retain the Duke of 
Wellington and his tory friends in office. By granting the Catholic 
emancipation, they had" lost the support of a large party, and by re- 
fusing to grant a reform in the commons, they had failed to gain the 
support of a new party. 

5. In the new parliament, which met soon after the accession of 
the king, there was a majority in the house of commons against the 
ministers, which showed that the people did not approve their con- 
duct, and they, in consequence, resigned their offices. The whigs 
now came into office, with Earl Grey at their head. A bill for a 
reform in the representation was introduced, but met with so much 
opposition in the house of commons, that the ministers resolved to 
dissolve this parliament, though it had only been in existence a few 
months. 

6. The new elections were carried on in the most tumultuous 
manner, both parties striving to the utmost to secure a majority. It 
resulted in giving to the friends of reform a majority of one hundred 
and nine. But the bill, though passed by the house of commons, was 
rejected by the house of lords. This rejection caused great discontent 
in every part of the country. In London, a great mob collected, and 
made assaults upon the persons and houses of various tory noblemen ; 
amongst the rest of the Duke of Wellington. 

7. Nottingham Castle, once a royal residence, but now become the 
property of a tory, was destroyed. The riot at Bristol exceeded 
everything of the kind that had been heard of in any part of the king- 
dom, since the great riots in London in 1780. All the public build- 
ings and a large number of private houses were destroyed, and many 
lives were lost before the storm could be quelled, for which purpose 
it was necessary to make use of a large body of troops. 

8. The people formed themselves into societies, called vnions, ii 
which a large portion of the inhabitants enrolled themselves. The 
object of these unions was to intimidate the legislature to pass the 
Reform Bill, chiefly by holding out a threat of refusing to pay any 

previous incidents of his life. 4. What of the tory ministry ? 5. What happened upon 
the meeting of the new parliament? 6. What of the Reform Bill? How did the people 
receive its rejection? 7. What riots are mentioned ? 8. What of union's ? What dis 
ease appeared ? 9. What of its progress ? 



PASSAGE OF THE REFORM ETLL. — 1832. 



441 



taxes. To add to the gloom which hung over the country, a disease, 
since known as the cholera, broke out at Sunderland. 

9. This malady seemed to be the same as one of that name which 
had appeared in Bengal, in Asia, about the year 1817, and had after- 
wards desolated a large portion of India Spreading to the west, it 
continued its ravages, and at length reached Warsaw, in Poland, in 
April, 1831, and the city of Hamburg in the October following. The 
first cases which occurred at Sunderland were on the 26th of the same 
month. From thence it spread over Great Britain, and it did not cease 
till the autumn of 1832. In 1848, this disease again visited Europe, 
but its ravages were not extensive. 



CHAPTER CCXXV. 



Refor??i in the House of Commons. — Of the different Political 
Parties. — Death of William IV. — Accession of Victoria. 
— Her Marriage. — Recent important Events. — Character 
of the English. 




Queen Victoria going to open Parliament. 



1. The Reform Bill was passed without difficulty through the new 
parliament, for the lords who were opposed to it, fearing any longer to 
resist the will of the people, left their seats when the question came 
up for discussion ; and it finally received the royal assent, June 7th, 
1832. The first parliament under the new law was elected in the au- 
tumn of the same year. 

CCXXV". — 1. When did the Reform Bil! receive the royal assent? 2. What measure 



442 DEATH OF WILLIAM IV. — 1837. 

2. The reformed parliament proceeded to make various improve- 
ments ; the principal one was the abolition of slavery in the British 
West India Islands ; the owners of the slaves being allowed twenty 
millions of pounds sterling, nearly one hundred millions of dollars, as 
an indemnification for the loss they would thus sustain. 

3. The king, to whom the conduct of public affairs appears to have 
been for some time distasteful, in November, 1834, dismissed the 
whigs from office, and gave the reins of government to the tories, at 
the head of whom were the Duke of Wellington and Sir Robert Peel ; 
the latter being a man of great abilities, and of enormous wealth, 
which he inherited from his father, who had gained it by his own in- 
dustry as a manufacturer of cotton cloth. 

4. As there was known to be a majority against the new adminis- 
tration in the parliament, it was dissolved, and a new one summoned. 
The greatest exertions were made by the tories, or Conservatives, as 
they were now called, (because they were opposed to alterations in 
the constitution, and for preserving it as it was,) in the elections ; but 
their adversaries were too strong for them, and, after holding office for 
a few months, they resigned, and the whigs were restored, Lord Mel- 
bourne being the prime minister. 

5. The party which still retained the title of whig was strength- 
ened during the whole of these struggles by various adherents of very 
different classes of opinion. Of these, some were the advocates of a 
still more extensive reform in the house of commons, and of great 
changes in the constitution of the church, and in other institutions . 
This party was known as the Radicals. The Liberals were those w T ho 
attached less weight to the forms of government than to its spirit and 
principles. 

6. The whigs also received the support of the Irish members, at 
the head of whom stood Mr. O'Connel, a man of great energy, and 
impassioned eloquence, and possessed of an extraordinary degree of 
personal influence with his countrymen. The leading, avowed object 
of this party was to procure a repeal of the act of union between Ire- 
land and England, which they regarded as the cause of the depressed 
state of Ireland, and of the degraded condition of the great body of the 
people of that country, that country being now- governed by a parlia- 
ment in which English influence predominates. 

7. By the aid of these several parties, Lord Melbourne maintained 
his place during the remainder of this reign, which was terminated by 
the death of the king, June 20th, 1837. As William IV. left no chil- 
dren, he was succeeded by the present sovereign, Alexandria Victoria 
daughter of his brother, the Duke of Kent, who had died in 1820 
Queen Victoria was married on the 10th of February, 1840, to hei 
cousin, Prince Albert, of Saxe-Coburg. 

8. In May, 1843, the Melbourne ministry resigned, in consequence 
of the smallness of their majority in the house of commons on a lead- 
ing measure ; and Sir Robert Peel attempted to form a new ministry. 
He required to have the ladies of the queen's bed-chamber removed, 

did the reformed parliament adopt? 3. What change of ministers in 1834? 4. Who 

are the Conservatives? 5.; What of the Radicals ? What of the Liberals? 6. What of 

he Irish members of parliament? 7. When did William IV. die? Who succeeded 



RECENT EVENTS. — 1S41 — IS4S. 443 

but this being refused by her majesty, " as contrary to usage, and 
repugnant to her feelings," the whig ministry, at her request, resumed 
their places. 

9. In August, 1841, the whig ministry resigned, and a tory minis- 
try soon after came into power, Sir Robert Peel being at its head. He 
conducted the government with great prudence and energy, but in 
1845, he gave his influence in favor of a repeal of the corn laws, and a 
species of free-trade tariff. A change of ministry followed, and the 
whigs, under Lord John Russell, came into power, which they now 
hold, (1849.) 

10. Several important events have occurred in Great Britain, within 
the reign of the present queen. A war has been carried on against 
China, the result of which has been to compel that great country to 
open four of her ports to the commerce of Christendom. 

11. In Ireland the most extraordinary spectacles have been exhib- 
ited. A Catholic priest, known as Father Mathew, has induced nearly 
six millions of persons, of all ages and sexes, to sign the pledge of 
temperance, by which they engage never to partake of intoxicating 
drinks. The benefits of this wonderful movement are beyond calcula- 
tion to thousands long held in degradation by the vice of drunkenness. 

12. Other movements, no less wonderful, have also been exhibited 
in Ireland. O'Connel roused a portion of the nation to a sense of their 
wrongs, and a series of mass meetings were held, some of which num- 
bered hundreds of thousands of persons. These were called upon by 
the most thrilling eloquence, as well from O'Connel as others, to de 
mand a repeal of the union, as the only means of their deliverance. 

13. This agitation was characterized by a deep enthusiasm, re 
strained, however, within the bounds of general good order, and 
observance of established laws. O'Connel was tried, and though the 
" monster" meetings were adjudged illegal, the Agitator himself was 
released on technical grounds. His career seemed, however, to be at 
an end, and, in 1847, he died while on his way to Rome. 

14. During this year, famine spread over a part of Europe, and fell 
with melancholy fatality upon Ireland. It was attended by pestilence, 
and in the space of a twelvemonth, it is said, half a million of persons 
perished, by disease and starvation, in that unhappy island. The 
British government made great efforts to remedy these evils, and lib- 
eral donations, in money and provisions, were sent from the United 
States. 

15. But all aids could not prevent spectacles of calamity, vice, and 
crime, which, even to think of, make the heart sick. Influenced by 
these circumstances, and incited by the revolution of 1848, in France, 
which drove Louis Philippe from the throne, and established a repub- 
lic there, some Irish patriots attempted a rebellion against the British 
government. Their plans, however, were crude, and not seconded by 
the people, and they became the victims of these sincere but misguided 
efforts in behalf of their country. 

16. The French revolution, jutt mentioned, occasioned great agi- 

him J Whom did Victoria marry? S. What of the ministry? 9» What of the min 
iairy in 1841? 10. What of the war in China? 11. Father Mathew? 12, 13. O'Cuk- 



444 FAMILY OF WILLIAM IV. 

tation in England, and a number of persons, called Chartists, made a 
movement for reform. Their efforts were abortive, and some of the 
leaders were punished for treasonable practices. 

17. In January, 1840, a new law went into successful operation in 
Great Britain, establishing the rates of postage on letters of common 
weight at one penny for any distance. This system has proved com- 
pletely successful, and may be regarded as one of the greatest tri- 
umphs of government, which is able to scatter knowledge at so cheap 
a rate, and thus to knit together, by easy intercourse, every portion 
of its dominions. 

18. How vast the difference between Britain in the 19th century, 
and that barbarian island introduced to our notice at the landing of 
Ca=sar, fifty years before the Christian era. Though her story pre- 
sents a succession of wars, revolutions, crimes, and cruelties, with 
passages, here and there, of a brighter and happier aspect, yet the 
grand result has been one of progress and improvement, until the 
highest pinnacle of national wealth, power and civilization, has been 
attained. 

19. We may now close our long story by giving you the character 
of the English, as summed up by an intelligent Frenchman. " An 
atmosphere of fogs, rain, and perpetual variation ; a political freedom 
which has long been the envy of the most enlightened nations ; an 
established religion, owing all its power to its disconnection with for- 
eign influence ; a perfect freedom of conscience ; an industry which 
has increased tenfold the riches of the soil. 

20. " All these have given to the English a sombre, abrupt, and 
meditative character ; a pride which leads them to look upon them- 
selves as the first nation of the world ; a solitary and retired mode of 
life ; a set of manners different from those of the rest of Europe ; 
intelligence superior to that of their neighbors, but accompanied by 
great egotism and a multitude of prejudices." 

FAMILY OF WILLIAM IV. 

WIFE. 

Adelaide, Princess of Meiningen. 

CHILDREN. 

Two daughters, who died in infancy. 

TABLE OF THE SOVEREIGNS OF THE HANOVER OR BRUNSWICK 

FAMILY. 

Began to reign. Reigned years. 

1714 ... 13 George I., great-grandson of James I. 

1727 ... 32 George II., sen of George I. 

1760 ... 60 George III., grandson of George II. 

1820 ... 10 George IV., son of George III. 

1830 ... 7 William IV., son of George III. 

1837 Victoria, grand-daughter of George III. 

lei? 14. Famine? 15. Rebellion? 16. The Chartists? 17. The penny postage law ? 
IS. What of Great Britain now as compared with it in the time ofCas-sar? 19, 20. Wha' 
is the character of the English ? 



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Any of the following wiU he forwarded by maU, post-paid, for a remittance of the price nam* 
against the work or works ordered. 



GOODRICH'S SCHOOL HISTORIES. 



Goodrich's Pictorial History of the United States. 

A Pictorial History of the United States, with Notices of other Portions of 
America. For the use of Schools. By Samuel G. Goodrich. 1 voL 
12nio. 360 pages. * 

Goodrich's Pictorial History of England. 

A Pictorial History of England, Scotland, and Ireland. For the use of 
Schools. By Samuel G. Goodrich. 1 vol. 12ino. 444 pages. 

Goodrich's Pictorial History of Rome. 

A Pictorial History of Ancient Rome, with a Sketch of the History of 
Modern Italy. For the use of Schools. By Samuel G. Goodrich. 
1 vol. 12mo. 333 pages. 

Goodrich's Pictorial History of Greece. 

A Pictorial History of Greece, Ancient and Modern. For the use of 
Schools. By Samuel G. Goodrich. 1 vol. 12mo. 371 pages. 

Goodrich's Pictorial History of France. 

A Pictorial History of France. For the use of Schools. By Samuel G. 
Goodrich. 1 vol. 12mo. 347 pages. 



Parley's (Goodrich's) Common School History. 

A. Brief Compend of Universal History. For the use of Schools. By 
Samuel G. Goodrich. 1 vol. 12mo. 309 pages. Price, 75 cents. 

JQSif These works are written in a lively and pleasing style, abounding in illustra- 
tive anecdotes, incidents, and descriptions, the histories, in all cases, being based on 
Geography, illustrated by maps. The manners and customs of each country and age 
are constantly kept in view. The works are freely supplied with engravings, giving 
correct ideas of manners and customs, views of cities, monuments, battles, &c. They 
have been got up with great care and expense, and are published in a superior style. 
It is believed that there is no series of familiar histories, in America or Europe, that 
may challenge comparison with these, either in interest, accuracy, or beauty of me- 
chanical execution. The publishers are able to add that they have received the appro- 
bation of leading men, and are introduced into the principal seminaries throughout 
the United States. They are uniform in size and price. 



MANN & CHASE'S NEW ARITHMETICAL 

SERIES. 

IN THREE PARTS. 

Mann & Chase's Primary Arithmetic, Part 1. 

The Primary School Arithmetic : designed for Beginners. Containing 
copious Mental Exercises, together with a large number of Examples 
for the Slate. By Horace Mann, LL. D., and Pliny E. Chase, 
A. M., Authors of "Arithmetic Practically Applied." 1 vol. 18mo. 
Price, 25 cents. 

Mann & Chase's Arithmetic, Part 2. 

The Grammar-School Arithmetic : containing much valuable Commercial 
Information ; together with a system of Integral, Decimal, and Prac- 
tical Arithmetic, so arranged as to dispense with many of the ordinary 
rules. By Horace Mann, and Pliny E. Chase, Authors of " Primary 
Arithmetic." 1 vol. duodecimo. Price, 63 cents. 

Mann & Chase's Arithmetic, Part 3. 

Arithmetic Practically Applied : for Advanced Pupils, and for Private 
Reference, designed as a Sequel to any of the ordinary Text Books on 
the subject. By Horace Mann, LL.D., the Eirst Secretary of the 
Massachusetts Board of Education, and Pliny E. Chase, A. M. 1 vol. 
duodecimo. Price, $1.00. 



ANGELL'S READING BOOKS. 

This is a series of Spelling and Reading Books, in Six Numbers ; compiled 
by Oliver Angell, A. M., Principal of the Franklin High School, 
Providence. The Numbers composing the series may be briefly de- 
scribed as follows : 

Angell's Reader, No. 1. 

72 pages 18mo. Price, 8 cents. 
The arrangement of the lessons in this hook is such, that the child commences 
reading as soon as he commences putting the letters together into syllables, the exer- 
cise of spelling and reading being simultaneous. The same syllables and words which 
form the Spelling Lessons, are arranged as Reading Lessons directly opposite, or im- 
mediately under the Spelling columns. 

Angell's Reader, No. 2. 

136 pages 18mo. Price, 14 cents. 

This is a continuation of the First Number, containing Easy Reading Lessons, most 
of which are pleasing stories, designed to interest the mind of the learner, and afford 
instruction. Spelling Lessons, consisting of words from the Reading Lessons, precede 
<)very Reading Lesson. 

Angell's Reader, No. 3. 

206 pages 18mo. Price, 17 cents. 

This is a gradual advance from the Second Number, having the Reading and Spell- 
ing Lessons arranged on the same plan. The Lessons, in each of the Numbers, are 
followed by a set of Questions, to exercise the reader on what he has read. 

Angell's Reader, No. 4. 

252 pages 12mo. Price, 30 cents. 

Also designed as a Reading and Spelling Book, and containing a variety of other 
useful matter. 

Angell's Reader, No. 5. 

296 pages 12mo. Price, 50 cents. 

A Reading Book for the higher classes in Common Schools, with Spelling Lessonj 
and definitions adapted to each reading section; with Tables, Mental Arithmetic, &c. 

Angell's Reader, No. 6. 

504 pages 12mo. Price, 75 cents. 

Being a selection of pieces in prose and verse ; designed as a Reading Book for the 
highest classes in Academies and Schools. 

These six volumes, compiled by Oliver Angell, comprise a series which is un- 

3 



Axgell's Reading Books — continued, 

doubtedly more suitable for the purpose for which they are designed, than any pre- 
vious publications; and they are more popular among those who have the direction 
of education than any ever prepared in this country. There is a decided advantage 
in possessing sets of elementary books by the same author, who has pursued a similar 
plan with each, rising step by step, and who, it is presumed, would be better able to 
preserve the proper gradation of style and matter, than several individuals would. 
This will be found to be the case in the present series. 



Richardson's English Dictionary. 

A New Dictionary of the English Language, by Charles Richardson. 
2 volumes quarto, 2295 pages. Price, $22.50. 

RICHARDSON'S ENGLISH DICTIONARY is acknowledged to he the great The- 
saurus of English Philology and Lexicography. Its character as a work of standard 
authority is so well established, that few scholars or professional men will deem their 
libraries complete without it. 



Fleming & Tibbins' French Dictionary. 

An entirely New and Complete French, and English, and English and 
French Dictionary, adapted to the present state of the two Languages. 
By Prof, Fleming, Prof, of English in the College of Louis-le- Grand, 
and Prof. Tibbins, author of several lexicographical works : with im- 
portant additions, by Charles Picot, Esq., Professor of French in the 
University of Pennsylvania, and Judah Dobson, Esq., Member of the 
American Philosophical Society, of the Academy of Natural Sciences, 
&c, &c. 1400 pages royal 8vo. Price, $4. 



Fleming & Tibbins' French Dictionary, Abridged. 

1 vol. 12mo. 724 pages. Price, $1.25. 



Nugent's French and English Dictionary. 

A Pocket Dictionary of the two Languages. In two Parts. 1. French and 
English. 2. English and French. By Thomas Nugent, LL.D. 452 
pages square 12mo. Price, 63 cents. 4 



Donnegan's Greek Lexicon. 

A New Greek and English Lexicon, on the Plan of the Greek and German 
Lexicon of Schneider; the words alphabetically arranged, — distin- 
guishing such as are poetical, of dialectic variety, or peculiar to cer- 
tain writers and classes of writers ; with Examples, literally translated, 
selected from the classical writers. By James Donnegan, M. D., of 
London. Revised and Enlarged by Robert B. Patton, Professor of 
Ancient Languages in the College of New Jersey; with the assistance 
of J. Addison Alexander, D. D., of the Theological Seminary at 
Princeton. 1422 pages, royal 8vo. Price, $4. 

/J^The quick sale of so many large editions of this Lexicon, is the best evidence 
the publishers could desire of its acceptableness to scholars generally. 



Walker's Pronouncing Dictionary. 

A Critical Pronouncing Dictionary and Expositor of the English Lan- 
guage. To which is annexed a Key to the Classical Pronunciation 
of Greek, Latin, and Scripture Proper Names, &,c. By John Walker. 
Octavo, 782 pages. Price, $1.12i. 



Hurd's Grammatical Corrector. 

A Grammatical Corrector, or Vocabulary of the Common Errors of Speech : 
being a collection of nearly two thousand barbarisms, cant phrases, 
colloquialisms, quaint expressions, provincialisms, false pronuncia- 
tions, perversions, misapplication of terms, and other kindred errors 
of the English Language, peculiar to the different States of the Union. 
The wholo explained, corrected, and conveniently arranged, for the 
use of Schools and Private Individuals. By Seth T. Hurd. 124 
pages 12mo. Price, 34 cents. 



Smith's Grammar. 

English Grammar on the Productive System : a Method of Instruction 
recently adopted in Germany and Switzerland; designed for School! 
and Academies. By Roswell C. Smith, author of Introductory Arith- 
metic, <fec. 192 pages 12mo. Price, 25 cents. 



Hart's English Grammar. 

An Exposition of the Principles and Usages of the English Language. By 
John S. Hart, LL.D., Principal of the Philadelphia High School. 
192 pages 12mo. Price, 34 cents. 



Hart's Class Book of Prose ; 

AND 

Hart's Class Book of Poetry ; 

Each 384 pages 12mo. Consisting of Selections from distinguished Eng- 
lish and American Authors, from Chaucer to the present day; the 
whole arranged in Chronological Order, with Biographical and Critical 
Remarks. By John S. Hart, LL. D., Principal of the Philadelphia 
High School. These volumes are sold separately. Price, 75 cents for 
either work. 



Hart's Constitution of the United States. 

A Brief Exposition of the Constitution of the United States, in the form 
of Questions and Answers. For the use of Schools and Colleges. By 
John S. Hart, LL. D., Principal of the Philadelphia High School, 
and Professor of Moral, Mental, and Political Science, in the same. 
100 pages 12mo. Price, 30 cents. 



Comstock's Elocution. 

A System of Elocution, with special reference to Gesture and Defective 
Articulation. With numerous Diagrams and engraved Figures, illus- 
trating the subject. By Andrew Comstock, M. D. 1 vol. 12mo, 
Price, $1.00. 



Frost's Composition. 

Easy Exercises in Composition, designed for the use of Beginners. By 
John Frost, LL. D. 120 pages 12mo. Price, 25 cents. 



Coates's School Physiology. 

First Lines of Physiology : being an Introduction to the Science of Life, 
written in popular language, designed for the use of Common Schools, 
Academies, and General Readers. By Reynell Coates, M. D., 
author of First Lines of Natural Philosophy. Sixth edition, revised; 
with an Appendix. 340 pages 12mo. Price, $1.00. 



Coates's Natural Philosophy. 

First Lines of Natural Philosophy, divested of Mathematical Formula? ; 
being a practical and lucid Introduction to the study of the Science ; 
designed for the use of Schools and Academies, and for readers gene- 
rally, who have not been trained to the study of the Exact Sciences, 
and for those who wish to enter understandingly upon the study of 
the Mixed Sciences. By Reynell Coates, M. D., author of Phy- 
siology for Schools. Illustrated with 264 Cuts. 402 pages 12mo. Price, 
75 cents. 



Booth's Phonographic Instructor. 

New Edition— nearly ready. Being an Introduction to the Compounding 
Style of Phonography. With engraved Hlustrations and Key. By 
James C. Booth. 



Kendall's Uranography. 

Uranography, or a Description of the Starry Heavens : designed for the 
use of Schools and Academies ; accompanied by an Atlas of the 
Heavens, showing the places of the Principal Stars, Clusters, and 
Nebula?. By E ? Otis Kendall, Professor of Mathematics and Astro- 
nomy in the Central High School of Philadelphia, and Member of 
the American Philosophical Society. The Uranography contains 365 
pages 12mo., with nine fine Engravings. The Atlas is in 4to., and 
contains eighteen large Maps. Price of the Uranography and Atlas, 
$1.50. 



M'Cartney's Differential and Integral Calculus. 

The Principles of the Differential and Integral Calculus, and their applioa- 
tion to Geometry. By Washington M'Cartney, Professor of Mathe 
matics in Lafayette College. 1 vol. 8vo. Price, $1.25. 

7 



Green's Gradations in Algebra. 

Gradations in Algebra, with the First Principles of Analysis ; explained in- 
ductively, for the use of Primary and Common Schools. By Richard 
W. Green, A. M. 1 vol. 12mo. Price, 63 cents. 



Green's Key to Green's Algebra. 

1 vol. 12mo. Price, $1.00. 



Coleman's Historical Geography of the Bible. 

Historical Geography of the Bible. Nearly 500 pages. By Rev. Lyman 
Coleman, D. D. Illustrated with new and beautiful Maps of various 
Countries mentioned in the Scriptures. 1 vol. 12mo. Price, $1.25. 

By this work the reader is assisted to study in connexion, the History and Geo- 
graphy of the Bible ; both of which are, by these means, made more interesting and 
instructive. This is indeed the only way to interest the young in the study of Sacred 
Geography. It is a book for Sunday Schools, Bible Classes, High Schools, Academies, 
and Colleges, as well as for parents and instructors, and all who would read witL 
intelligent interest the Sacred Scriptures. 



Philosophie Proverbiale : 

Par Martin F. Tupper, Docteur en Droit, et Membre de la Socigte" Royale. 
Traduite en Francais d'apres la dixieme edition. Recommended and 
approved as a French Reader for schools. 1 vol. 12mo. Price, 75 cents. 



Church's French Spoken. 

A New System of teaching French. By Edward Church. 302 pages small 
quarto. Price, $1.00. 



Dixon & Kerr's Ornamental and Domestic Poultry. 

A Treatise on the History and Management of Ornamental and Domestic 
Poultry. By Rev. E. S. Dixon, A. M., with large additions by J. J. 
Kerr, M. D. ("Asa Rugg.") Embellished with sixty-five original 
Portraits from life, drawn and engraved expressly for this work. Price, 
$1.00. In gilt, with all the plates, coloured, $2.50. 



Virginia Housewife. 

The Virginia Housewife, or Methodical Cook; containing nearly Five Hun- 
dred Receipts, with plain Practical Directions for all ordinary household 
operations, under the various heads of Soups, Beef, Veal, Lamb, Mut- 
ton, Pork, Fish, Poultry, Sauces, Vegetables, Puddings, Cakes, 
Creams, Preserves, Pickles, Cordials, Ac, &c. By Mrs. Mary Ran- 
dolph. 180 pages 12mo. Price, 50 cents. 



Prof. Young's Series of Mathematics. 

YOUNG'S ALGEBRA, 1 vol. 8vo. Price $1.25. YOUNG'S GEOME- 
TRY, 1 vol. 8vo. Price, $1.25. YOUNG'S ANALYTICAL GEO- 
METRY, 1 vol. 8vo. Price $1.25. YOUNG'S PLANE AND 
SPHERICAL TRIGONOMETRY, 1 vol. 8vo. Price, $125 
YOUNG'S MECHANICS, 1 vol. 8vo. Price, $1 25 



Library of English Literature. 

A Selection from the Finest Passages of the most distinguished English and 
American Authors, classified and arranged under convenient heads. 
With numerous authentic Portraits. Two very thick volumes 8vo., 
2382 pages. Price, muslin, $4.50. 



Tupper's Complete Works. 

Authorized edition. Complete in four volumes duodecimo, of upwards of 
400 pages each. Price, $1.00 a volume. The volumes are sold sepa- 
rately or in sets. 

Contents of tijr Folumes. 
Volume First— The Crock of Gold ; the Twins and Heart 
Volume Second— An Author's Mind; Miscellaneous Essays and Probabilities 

oXr PoZsT BalladSf ° r the Times ' a Thousand I*£; Hactenu?, GerakUne.. and 
Volume FouRTH-Proverbial Philosophy (with an Essay on the Philosophy of Pro- 

tSSSatat 11 AmenCan Gentlem **); A Modern Pyramid, and King Arthur* Posm£ 

mJreside'nce. 18 embdlished with a new Portrait of M ^. Tupper, and a view of Albury, 



M'Cartney's United States. 

The Origin and Progress of the United States. A Series of Lectures, de- 
signed to illustrate the Character of American Civilization. By Wash- 
ington M'Cartney, Professor of Mathematics in Lafayette College, 
Easton, Pa. 404 pages 12mo. Price, $1.00. 

9 



The Freemason's Manual. 

Price, $1.00. A Companion for the Initiated through all the degrees ot 
Freemasonry, from the "Entered Apprentice" to the higher degrees of 
"Knighthood." Embracing "Entered Apprentice," "Fellow Graft," 
"Master Mason," "Past Master," "Mark Master," "Most Excellent 
Master," "Royal Arch," "Select Master," "High Priesthood," "Knight 
of the Red Cross," "Knights Templars," "Knights of Malta," the 
Ancient Constitution of the Order, &c. Embellished with upwards of 
one hundred Engravings, illustrating the Emblems and Symbols of the 
order. By Rev. Kensey Johns Stewart, K. T. 

This work has the sanction and approval of the R. W. G. M. of the state of Delaware, 
and of the M. E. G. H. P. of the Grand II. R. A. C. of Pennsylvania. 



Becker's Book-Keeping. 

A Treatise on the Theory and Practice of Book-Keeping by Double Entry. 
Designed to elucidate the principles of the science, and to impart a 
knowledge of the forms observed by practical accountants, in the 
various departments of business. By George J. Becker, Professor 
of Drawing, "Writing, and Book-Keeping, in the Central High School 
of Philadelphia. 1vol. 8vo. Half bound, muslin sides. Price, $1.00. 

Becker's Book-Keeping. , 

Blanks. Second Series, Price, 63 cents. 

Becker's Book-Keeping. 

Blanks. Third Series. Price, 50 cents. 

Becker's Book-Keeping. 

Blanks. Fourth Series. Price, $1.00. 

Becker's System of Book-Keeping. 

A Complete and Practical System of Double Entry Book-Keeping, con- 
taining three sets of books illustrative of the forms, arrangements, 
and uses of all the principal and auxiliary books employed in the 
various kinds of mercantile, mechanical, and professional pursuits, 
designed as a Key to Becker's Treatise on the Theory and Practice 
of Book-Keeping, and as a Guide for Teachers and Accountants; to 
which is added a complete set of practical business forms, including 
the most important in use by forwarding and commission houses, a 
number of miscellaneous forms adapted to various kinds of business, 
abbreviated journal forms, executors' and administrators' accounts, &c 
By George J. Becker. 1 vol. 8vo. Half bound. Price, $1.50. 

10 



Butler's Royal Quarto Bible. 

A splendid edition of the Holy Bible, in large quarto, suited to be used in 
Churches and Families. This Bible is in larger sized type than any 
other 2irinted in the United States. It contains the Apocrypha, and a 
Family Record. All of the following named styles, A to G, are 
printed on the same quality of paper, and are bound by Altemus. 
They differ only in the illustrations and in style of binding. 

A. Illustrated with 10 coloured Engravings, and 8 new and splendid Illumi- 

nations. Turkey, super extra, bevelled boards, $16.50 

B. Illustrated with 10 Engravings, and 8 new and splendid Illuminations. 

Turkey, super extra, bevelled boards, 14.50 

C. Illustrated with 10 coloured Engravings, and 8 new and splendid Illumi- 

nations. Turkey, super extra, 14.50 

D. Illustrated with 10 Engravings, and 8 new and Splendid Illuminations. 

Turkey, super extra, 13.00 

E. Illustrated with 10 Engravings, and 4 Illuminations. Turkey morocco, 

super extra, 12.00 

E 2. Illustrated with 10 Engravings, and 2 new Illuminations. Turkey 

morocco, gilt edges, 10.00 

F. Illustrated with 10 Engravings, and 2 Illuminations. Imitation Turkey, 8.00 

G. Illustrated with 2 Illuminations, and 2 Engravings. Fine sheep, marble 

edges, gilt back, stamped, and gilt sides, 5.50 

ANTIQUE, Illustrated with 10 Coloured Engravings, and 8 new and splendid 

Illuminations. Turkey, super extra, bevelled boards, panelled sides, . 24.00 
With Psalms, additional, $0.25. With clasps, additional, $2.50. 



Egeria. 

Egeria : or, Voices of Thought and Counsel, for the Woods and Wayside. 
By W. Gilmore Simms, Esq. 1 vol. 12mo. 



Hook's Church Dictionary. 

A Church Dictionary, by Walter Farquhar Hook, D. D., Vicar of Leeds. 
Edited and adapted to the American Church by a Presbyter of the 
Protestant Episcopal Church. 1 vol. 8vo. 

11 



Butler's (New) Small Quarto Bible. 

An entirely new edition, stereotyped from the Bible Society standard, in small 
quarto. This edition, but seven by nine and a half inches in size, is printed upon pica 
type (the largest type used in any Qitarto or Family Bible printed in the United 
States, excepting only Butler's Royal Quarto Bible), and contains marginal notes and 
references, the various readings, the Apocrypha, and a Family Record. The illus- 
trations are all from original designs by Schuessle, and are engraved in line in the finst 
style of the art. The illuminations are also from original designs by Devereux. The 
end aimed at in publishing this edition was to produce a Bible in large type in a small 
and convenient shape for reading. This has been accomplished, and it is believed to 
be the most elegant and convenient edition in the English language. 

The following are the styles and prices. They are all printed on the same quality 
of paper, and differ only in Illustrations and in the style of binding. 
H. Illustrated with 10 Coloured Engravings, and 8 new and splendid Illumi- 
nations. Turkey, super extra, bevelled boards, . . . . . $11.00 
I. Illustrated with 10 Engravings, and 8 new and splendid Illuminations. Tur- 
key, super extra, bevelled boards, . 10.00 

K. Illustrated with 10 Coloured Engravings, and 8 new and splendid Illumi- 
nations. Turkey, super extra, 10.00 

L. Illustrated with 10 Engravings, and 8 new and splendid Illuminations. 

Turkey, super extra, 9.00 

M. Illustrated with 10 Engravings, and 4 Illuminations. Turkey Morocco, 

super extra, 8.50 

N. Illustrated with 10 Engravings, and 2 new Illuminations. Turkey Mo- 
rocco, gilt edges, 6.75 

O. Illustrated with 10 Engravings, and 2 Illuminations. Imitation Turkey, 6.00 
P. Illustrated with 2 Illuminations, and 2 Engravings. Fine sbeep, marble 

edges, gilt back, stamped and gilt sides, 4.50 

ANTIQUE, illustrated with 10 Coloured Engravings, and 8 new and splendid 

Illuminations. Turkey, super extra, bevelled boards, and panelled sides, 15.00 



Historia Sacra. 

Epitome Historic Sacrae ; with a Dictionary containing all the Words 
found in the Work. Price, 30 cents. 



VlRI ROM^. 

Viri Illustres Urbis Romae ; to which is added a Dictionary of all the 
Words which occur in the Book. 1 vol. 18mo. Price, 40 cents. 



. 



Forney's French Speller. 

Porney's Syllabaire Frangais; or, French Spelling Book. Revised, cor- 
rected, and improved, with the addition of the most necessary Verbs, 
Adjectives, and Idiomatical Phrases, alphabetically arranged. By J, 
Meier, late Professor of French and German in Yale University. 
Price, 34 cents. 12 





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